ACC2000: Cannot Open Visual Basic Environment from Design View of a Database Object (296857)

Novice: Requires knowledge of the user interface on single-user computers.

This article applies to a Microsoft Access database (.mdb) and to a Microsoft Access project (.adp).

SYMPTOMS

When you try to open the Visual Basic Environment (VBE) from an object that contains a semicolon in its name, Access may stop responding and then shut down unexpectedly without error.

After restarting Access you may find that:

You can no longer open the object.
You cannot rename the object.
The database may be corrupted.

CAUSE

There is a semicolon in the object's name, and the HasModule property of the object is set to Yes.

A semicolon is a reserved symbol for Microsoft Access. If you use a reserved symbol when you name an object, you may see unexpected behavior in the application.

RESOLUTION

If the database was converted from an earlier version of Access, remove the semicolon from the object name in the earlier version of Access before you convert the database.

If the object was created in Access 2000, re-create the object.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce the Behavior

Open the sample database Northwind.mdb.
On the Insert menu, click Form. Click Design View, and then click OK.
On the View menu, click Properties.
On the Other tab in the property sheet for the form, change the HasModule property to Yes.
Save the form as F;Form1, and then close the form.
Close and then reopen the database.
Open the F;Form1 form in Design view.
On the View menu, click Code. Note that the Visual Basic Environment does not open as expected.
Close the form.

Note that Access may stop responding and then quit silently.