ACC2: "Invalid Entries in [Btrieve] Section..." Error Message

• Microsoft Access version 2.0

SYMPTOMS

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

When you try to attach a Btrieve table in Microsoft Access, you receive the following error message:

   Invalid entries in [Btrieve] section in WIN.INI

CAUSE

There are multiple Options lines in the [Btrieve] section of your WIN.INI file. The error message occurs even if one of the Options lines is correct.

RESOLUTION

Remove the duplicate Options lines from the [Btrieve] section of the WIN.INI file. The [Btrieve] section of the WIN.INI file should look like the following example:

   [Btrieve]
   Options=/m:64 /p:4096 /b:16 /f:20 /l:40 /n:12/t:C:\ACCESS\BTRIEVE.TRN

MORE INFORMATION

The [Btrieve] section of the WIN.INI file (for Btrieve version 5.1x) or the NOVDB.INI file (for Btrieve version 6.x) includes settings used by all Btrieve for Windows applications. The settings must be compatible with all Btrieve for Windows applications.

If the WIN.INI file does not contain a [Btrieve] section, the section will be added by the Setup program when you install Microsoft Access. If the WIN.INI file does already contain a [Btrieve] section with an Options line, Microsoft Access Setup will add a second options line beginning with "access options." This line contains default settings and is harmless.

Third-party software products that use Btrieve files can also alter the [Btrieve] section of the WIN.INI file. These products can add duplicate Options lines to the [Btrieve] section of the WIN.INI file.

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

1. Make a backup copy of your WIN.INI file.

2. Open the WIN.INI file in Windows Notepad.

3. Locate the [Btrieve] section of the file, and then modify it to match the following example.

   NOTE: In the following example, an underscore (_) at the end of a line is used as a line-continuation character. Remove the underscore from the end of the line when re-creating this example.

         [Btrieve]
         Options=/m:64 /p:1024 /f:16 /l:20
         Options=/m:64 /p:4096 /b:16 /f:20 /l:40 /n:12/t:C:\ACCESS\_
         BTRIEVE.TRN
   

4. Save and then close the WIN.INI file.

5. Start Microsoft Access and open any database.

6. From the File menu, choose Attach Table.

7. In the Data Source box, select Btrieve, and then choose the OK button.

8. In the File Name box, select the Btrieve file you want to attach, and then choose the Attach button. You will receive the error message stated above.

REFERENCES

For more information about using Btrieve with Microsoft Access, view the following topics in the ACREADME.HLP file:

• "Using Microsoft Access with Btrieve"
• "Setting Microsoft Access Options for Btrieve"
• "Setting Btrieve Options"