KB160949 - ACC97: Where to Find Conversion Information for Microsoft Access 97

Article ID: 160949

Article Last Modified on 1/19/2007

Microsoft Access 97 Standard Edition

This article was previously published under Q160949

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

SUMMARY

Microsoft Access 97 provides many new features not available in earlier versions. When you open a database from an earlier version in Microsoft Access 97, most of the time the database converts with no difficulty. However, there are circumstances where new features in Microsoft Access 97 may conflict with objects or code in the database you are converting.

Before you convert a database in Microsoft Access 97, review the available information about conversion and compatibility so you can be familiar with the issues that may arise. This article lists many of the available sources of information about conversion and compatibility issues.

MORE INFORMATION

Conversion White Paper

The most comprehensive single source of information about converting databases in Microsoft Access 97 is the Microsoft Access 97 Conversion White Paper. The white paper includes the following topics:

Overview
Microsoft Access Intrinsic Constants
Microsoft Office for Windows 95 Automation Code
Wizard-Generated Code
DoCmd Statement
SendKeys Statement and Macro Action
ObjectName.FieldName Legacy Syntax
Conflicts with Reserved Words
Standard Module/Class Module Name Conflicts
Module Name/Procedure Name Conflicts
New Error Codes in Microsoft Access 97
Code with Line-Continuation Characters
Databases with Many Objects Increases in Size
dbFailOnError Behavior in Microsoft Access 97
Databases with Many Modules
Macro-Defined System Menus
Converted Toolbars Lose Button Images
16- and 32-Bit ActiveX Controls (OLE Custom Controls)
16- and 32-Bit API Calls
16-Bit ODBC Data Sources
Microsoft Access Library Database References
Object or Type Library References
Converting Add-In Databases
Report Margins Adjust to Default Print Region
Forms or Reports with Many Controls
ForceNewPage Property in Group Section
Conversion Fails Without Default Printer
Queries with Date Criteria Between 1900 and 1929
MaxLocksPerFile Setting Restricts Transaction Size
Converting Secured Databases
Converting Replicated Databases
INFPath Registry Setting for Xbase ISAM Drivers
Tables with Many Indexes or Relationships

For more information about how to obtain the Microsoft Access 97 Conversion White Paper, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

151193 ACC97: MS Access 97 Conversion White Paper Available in Download Center

Help Topics

Another good source of information for conversion and compatibility issues are the Microsoft Access 97 Help topics "Conversion and Compatibility Issues" and "Troubleshoot Converting a Previous-Version Database to Microsoft Access 97." You can find these topics by searching the Help Index for "converting databases."

The "Conversion and Compatibility Issues" Help topic contains the following links:

Convert a Database
Convert a Secured Database from a Previous Version of Microsoft Access
Convert Library Databases and Add-ins
What's New for Developer's: Overview
Changed Property Names
Changed and Removed Options in Microsoft Access 97
Convert Access Basic Code to Visual Basic
Convert Code That Calls a DLL
Macro Actions and Methods of the DoCmd Object
Convert SendKeys Key Combinations
Style for Intrinsic Constants
Scoping and Object-Naming Compatibility
DAO Object Library Compatibility
Examples of Converting DAO Code

The "Troubleshoot Converting a Previous-Version Database to Microsoft Access 97" Help topic contains the following links:

Converting any previous-version database

An identifier causes an error.

Converting a Microsoft Access version 1.x or 2.0 database

My converted Microsoft Access version 2.0 report has different margins.
My code can't compile.
A procedure causes an error.
I receive an out-of-memory error when converting a large database.
My 16-bit API calls do not convert.
My custom controls do not convert.
I receive an error that a table exceeds the limit of 32 indexes.
I'm having conversion problems on Microsoft Windows NT Workstation.
Time values in my query criteria return different results.
I receive an ODBC error when opening a form or report in a converted database.

Microsoft Access 97 Readme File

Another good source of information is the Microsoft Access 97 Readme File (Acread80.wri). This file is installed by default in the C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office folder. The Readme file contains the following topics related to conversion and compatibility:

Converting Expressions in VBA That Use the Line Continuation Character
Changes to Error Code Numbers
Change in How You Create Custom Menu Bars
Literal Dates Between the Years 1900 and 1929 May Cause Different Query Results

REFERENCES

For more information about conversion issues in Microsoft Access 95 and 97, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

141296 ACC: Troubleshooting Tips for Conversion Issues in 95 and 97

For more information about the "Conversion and Compatibility Issues Help Topic, or the "Troubleshoot converting a previous-version database to Microsoft Access 97" Help Topic, search the Help Index for "converting databases," and then view the available topics, or ask the Microsoft Access 97 Office Assistant.

Keywords: KB160949