ACC: Invalid Path Error Message Using UNC with 10+ Characters

 Last reviewed: May 28, 1997
Article ID: Q105514
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Access versions 1.0, 1.1, 2.0

SYMPTOMS

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

If you attempt to use a universal naming convention (UNC) path in Microsoft Access in which the server name is longer than 10 characters or contains spaces, you get the following error message 

   \\<servername>\<sharename> isn't a valid path
even though valid UNC server names can be up to 15 characters and can contain spaces.

For example, the path 

   SystemDB=\\s234567890\ANYSHARE\SYSTEM.MDA
works correctly, but the following UNC paths cause the above error message to appear: 

   SystemDB=\\s2345678901\ANYSHARE\SYSTEM.MDA
   SystemDB=\\s2345 7890\ANYSHARE\SYSTEM.MDA

CAUSE

This problem is not caused directly by Microsoft Access, but rather by an external host, such as Microsoft Windows for Workgroups, or by a network problem. Microsoft Access does not parse UNC paths; it hands them off to external processes.

RESOLUTION

One way to work around this problem is to connect the server to a logical drive before using Microsoft Access and then reference the logical drive instead of the server.

For example, you want to use a server named \\MY SERVER\MYSHARE, and you are using Microsoft LAN Manager. To reference this server, type: 

   NET USE F: \\MY SERVER\MYSHARE
In your MSACCESS.INI file, reference it as follows: 

   SystemDB=F:\SYSTEM.MDA

STATUS

This behavior no longer occurs in Microsoft Access version 7.0, which can handle UNC names larger than 10 characters.

Additional query words: attaching
Keywords : EvnOs kbenv
Version : 1.0 1.1 2.0
Platform : WINDOWS
Hardware : X86
Issue type : kbprb
Resolution Type : kbfix

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Last reviewed: May 28, 1997
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