[LaneyLou]

I am working a project with a huge database in access. The person that
Created it is no longer with the company and not willing to help with
Anything.

The queries just stopped feeding any information down the line after
September 28, 2008. I have gone through tons of tables and queries on all of
The databases to see if there's something set up stating (criteria) to only
Pull up before that date and have found nothing. No requirements for any
Dates are set.

They have multiple databases and each databases have thousands of records
Like in the 50 to 70 thousand entries range. The only thing I have noticed in
Common at all is that most of them "link" the tables from the same databases.
Then queries are built off that.

Is the database just getting too big?

Do I need to compact and repair?

Any suggestions at all would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[ScottGem]

A compact and repair won't hurt. But if there is a cutoff for a specific date, I suspect there is something causing that.

If the person who built the database refuses to do anything, a lawsuit may be possible.

When you say multiple databases are you sure ypou don't mean tables? Or Front ends? Its typical to have front ends that link to shared tables located in a shared back end. But this is all considered one database.

Also, have you checked for hidden objects?

[LaneyLou]

I'm waiting for someone eto get out of the database now to C&R.

They refuse to do anything because they were terminated. They didn't have anyone here that knew how to do anything they have done.

They many many different databases and then more entire databases set up to link to tables in the back end databases... so not only multiple databases but many front ends set up with those original tables, more tables and tons of queries / forms off that.

Nope sure haven't checked for any hidden objects. Will do that as well.

Thanks for your help!

[ScottGem]

This is why IT people are often walked out the door when they are terminated. Actually surprised me when my company didn't do that with me. But then, I'm not the type to take revenge.

The point is, if he put in a little gotcha to exact revenge, that is illegal and he can be sued for damages.

Its real hard for me tell for sure whether something has been done, but given what you describe, I suspect there is.

But the only way I could tell would be for you to give me remote access to your system so I could poke around. If you are interested in doing that, let me know.

[LaneyLou]

Well, though I would love to do that to grab some help from you I don't think that would be a good idea. :) Me being a contractor I have rules where I can't pass data or information on to anyone else. I can ask questions though. Heheh I just found out some other information concerning some stuff here and will ask another person about it later. Hopefully this will help take care of things. :) Thanks so much for your help. I really appreciate you!

[MsMewiththat]

Is it possible that data is stored in different table based on the dates or based on certain procedures that are run. For example: You have to copy data or import data into a specific table prior to running the macros or procedures. By chance was this persons last day September 29th. The 28th was a Sunday. You should trace back every step to determine where everything is coming from in order to determine what is missing. The very root table may be linked or fed in manually. Good Luck

[ScottGem]

Is it possible that data is stored in different table based on the dates or based on certain procedures that are run.

While that certainly is possible, it would not be considered good database design. Tables should use field data to time stamp information, not use different tables.

[LaneyLou]

I actually have discovered their last day was that date. And they were in the middle of a conversion to another database so I'm checking into all of this and will keep y'all posted. Thanks so much for answerin' to help. I appreciate you!

[MsMewiththat]

While that certainly is possible, it would not be considered good database design. Tables should use field data to time stamp information, not use different tables.

Scott the reason why I offered that explanation is this: if you have a file generated from a data warehouse that is exported to a file, that file can be linked or imported into a database and several macros etc can be run from there to populate the tables and subsequently be the reason why no new data is coming in. You can start at the very beginning and think that data is being updated and processed, possibly even merged with the new extracts, but if that outside source is not refreshed you will not receive new results. We have a process that is run based on that architecture. The extract comes from a huge warehouse using SAS and then is exported to a delimited file and fed into the access database to further process it and drill it down. In your opinion is this poor database design?

[ScottGem]

Its hard to tell, but the way I would do it isi to create a read only view on the SAS database and link my Access front end to that view. The view would be set to only show recent data if that was the business requirement.

If I could not link to the data, then I would still import the raw data and do my filtering within Access. I would not create dated tables (Like 2008Sales).

[MsMewiththat]

Its hard to tell, but the way I would do it isi to create a read only view on the SAS database and link my Access front end to that view. The view would be set to only show recent data if that was the business requirement.

If I could not link to the data, then I would still import the raw data and do my filtering within Access. I would not create dated tables (Like 2008Sales).

True and I wouldn't do that either. I just suggested that they could have a perhaps a quarterly set up or something? Trying to offer some type of trigger for her to investigate.