Microsoft KB Archive/109094

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ODBC Error: "Can't Open Unkeyed Paradox Table"

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Q109094

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Word for Windows, version 6.0

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SYMPTOMS
If you attach a Paradox table that does not contain a key field to your Word for Windows document, the following Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) error messages occur:

Can't open unkeyed Paradox table.

and then

Unable to open table: .

Word then attaches the data source, and you can perform a print merge operation, but you cannot set filters or perform sorting operations on the data source.

CAUSE
In Paradox version 3.5, you can designate a field as the key field (this is similar to the functionality of Microsoft Access). If no key field is designated in your Paradox table, the above errors occur.

STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Word for Windows. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

RESOLUTION
Open the database in Paradox version 3.5 and assign a key to one of the fields in your table.

Key Fields
Key fields are used to identify records. While they are strictly optional, a key gives you the following benefits:


 * 1) Prevents duplicate values in the key field.
 * 2) Keeps the table sorted according to the values in the field.
 * 3) Creates a primary index on that field, which can speed queries and other operations.

You can change fields from keys to non-keys, or vice versa. The only constraint is that all key fields must be grouped at the beginning of the table in order of precedence. To change a non-key field to a key field, move the field to the beginning of the table and add an asterisk (*) after the field type. Conversely, to change a key field to a non-key field, move it out of the key field area and erase the asterisk (*). If any existing records have duplicate values in the new key fields, Paradox places them in the temporary Keyviol table.

Keyed Table
If a table does not contain key fields, its records are kept and displayed in the order in which they were originally entered. If the table contains more than one key field, the records are sorted by the primary (first) key field, then (if necessary) by the secondary (second) key field.

The Paradox products included here are manufactured by Borland, Inc., vendors independent of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding these products' performance or reliability.