Microsoft KB Archive/198632

= ACC97: Error Message: "Unexpected Error from External Database Driver" with Paradox Tables =

Article ID: 198632

Article Last Modified on 1/23/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Access 97 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q198632



Moderate: Requires basic macro, coding, and interoperability skills.



SYMPTOMS
When you try to link, import from, or export to a Paradox file, you may receive an error message similar to one of the following:

Unexpected error from external database driver (9499).

-or-

Unexpected error from external database driver (12040).



CAUSE
The path that you are trying to link, import from, or export to has a total character length, including the database name, that is longer than 65 characters.



RESOLUTION
If you are importing or linking, first move the Paradox file to a path that is shorter than 65 characters in length. If you are exporting, export the file to some other folder location that does not result in a path whose length is longer than 65 characters.



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.



MORE INFORMATION
CAUTION: If you follow the steps in this example, you modify the sample database Northwind.mdb. You may want to back up the Northwind.mdb file and follow these steps on a copy of the database.

Steps to Reproduce the Behavior
 Open the sample database Northwind.mdb. Use the Paradox 5.0 format to export the Orders table. Export the table to a folder where the path name is longer than 65 characters. For example:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Samples\My Long Path Example\My Test

Note that you receive one of the errors mentioned in the "Symptoms" section of this article. Try to import the Paradox file from the C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Samples\My Long Path Example\My Test path by using the Paradox 5.0 format.

Note that you again receive one of the errors mentioned in the "Symptoms" section of this article.

