Microsoft KB Archive/164236

= ACC: Form Wizard Fails to Create Subform =

Article ID: 164236

Article Last Modified on 1/19/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Access 95 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Access 97 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q164236



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



SYMPTOMS
When you try to create a new main form/subform using the Form Wizard in Microsoft Access 97, you may receive the following error message:

The wizard is unable to create your form.



CAUSE
The name of the table or query upon which your subform is based contains more than 56 characters.

In Microsoft Access 97, the maximum number of characters you can use in an object name is 64. When the Form Wizard names your subform, it uses the table or query name, and then appends a space and the word "subform" to it. If your table or query contains more than 56 characters, the name of the Wizard-created subform contains more than the maximum 64 characters, and the wizard does not allow you to rename it.



RESOLUTION
To work around this behavior, make sure the table or query upon which your subform is based does not contain more than 56 characters.



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Access 97. This problem no longer occurs in Microsoft Access 2000.



Steps to Reproduce Problem
CAUTION: Following the steps in this example will modify the sample database Northwind.mdb. You may want to back up the Northwind.mdb file and perform these steps on a copy of the database.


 * 1) Start Microsoft Access and open the sample database Northwind.mdb.
 * 2) Select the Products table in the Database window.
 * 3) On the Edit menu, click Rename. Change the name of the table to tblThe_Name_Of_This_Table_Contains_More_Than_56_Characters.
 * 4) Click the Forms tab in the Database window, and then click New.
 * 5) In the New Form dialog box, click Form Wizard, and then click OK.
 * 6) In the Form Wizard, select Categories in the Tables/Queries box, and then add all the fields in the Available Fields box to the Selected Fields box.
 * 7) Select tblThe_Name_Of_This_Table_Contains_More_Than_56_Characters in the Tables/Queries box, and then add all the fields in the Available Fields box to the Selected Fields box. Click Finish.
 * 8) Note that you receive the error message "The wizard is unable to create your form." Click OK, and then close without saving the main form the wizard created.
 * 9) Repeat steps 2 and 3 to select and rename tblThe_Name_Of_This_Table _Contains_More_Than_56_Characters back to its original name, Products.

