Microsoft KB Archive/165466

= ACC97: Cannot Export to MDE If MS-DOS File Extensions Hidden =

Article ID: 165466

Article Last Modified on 1/19/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Access 97 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q165466



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



SYMPTOMS
If you have your operating system configured to hide MS-DOS file extensions, when you try to export a Microsoft Access 97 object to an MDE file you may receive the following error message:

Microsoft Access can't find the database file '.mdb.' Make sure you entered the correct path and file name.



RESOLUTION
When you export objects to MDE files, make sure that you are not hiding MS-DOS file extensions in Microsoft Windows 95 or Microsoft Windows NT version 4.0. Follow these steps to check your configuration:


 * 1) Start Windows Explorer or double-click My Computer on your desktop.
 * 2) On the View menu, click Options.
 * 3) Click the View tab.
 * 4) Click to clear the "Hide file extensions for known file types" check box.
 * 5) Click OK.



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Access 97.



Steps to Reproduce Problem

 * 1) Perform steps 1-5 in the "Resolution" section, except click to select the "Hide file extensions for known file types" check box.
 * 2) Start Microsoft Access and create a new blank database named Db1.
 * 3) On the Tools menu, point to Database Utilities, and then click Make MDE File.
 * 4) Save the MDE file as Test.
 * 5) Close the DB1 database.
 * 6) Open the sample database Northwind.mdb.
 * 7) Click the Macros tab in the Database window, and then select the Customers macro.
 * 8) On the File menu, click Save As/Export.
 * 9) In the Save As dialog box, click "To an External File or Database," and then click OK.
 * 10) In the "Save Macro 'Customers' In" dialog box, select Test and click Export. Note that you receive the error message mentioned in the "Symptoms" section. Click OK on the error, and then click Cancel in the dialog box.
 * 11) Perform steps 1-5 in the "Resolution" section to display file extensions again.

