"Can't Access Table..." Error with Exclusive Option Cleared

 Last reviewed: September 12, 1996
Article ID: Q108389
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Query for Windows, version 1.0

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Query, when you add a table to your query, and the same table is being used in a query on another computer, you receive the following error message, even if the data source that was used first to access the data has the Exclusive check box cleared 

   Can't access table F:\TABLE.DBF
where F:\ is the location of the table file on the shared drive, and TABLE.DBF is the name of the table file you are adding.

CAUSE

This error occurs if the Exclusive check box has been selected for ANY of the data sources that use the same file format as the data source that is used to access the shared table.

You can use the ODBC icon in the Windows Control Panel to change the Exclusive option for a data source. When you select or clear the Exclusive option for one data source, the option is changed for all data sources that use this same file type. For example, when you select the Exclusive check box in the ODBC dBASE Setup dialog box for a data source using the dBASE ODBC driver, you receive the following message: 

   Other data sources using this file type will use the changed "Driver"
   options.
Any data source that uses the dBASE (.DBF) file type will use the Exclusive setting, even if the Exclusive check box is not selected for that particular dBASE data source.

If you select the Exclusive check box for a dBASE data source, dBASE files will be opened in Exclusive mode and can be accessed by only one user at a time. If you clear the Exclusive check box for a dBASE data source, dBASE files will be opened in Shared mode and can be accessed by more than one user at a time. The last change that you make to this option is the setting that is used by all data sources that use this file type.

WORKAROUNDS

To access data in Microsoft Query on multiple computers, you must clear the Exclusive driver option for the data source that is used to access the data on each computer by using the following steps (steps taken for dBASE driver):

  1. In Control Panel, double-click the ODBC icon.

  2. From the Data Sources (Driver) list, select the data source that is set as exclusive, and choose the Setup button.

  3. In the ODBC dBASE Setup dialog box, choose the Options button.

  4. If the Exclusive check box is selected, clear the check box and choose OK. Skip to step 6.

  5. If the Exclusive check box is not selected, select the check box, and choose OK. Then choose the Setup button again in the Data Sources dialog box. Choose the Options button and clear the Exclusive check box. Choose OK.

  6. Choose OK to the message that is displayed telling you that this setting will be used by other data sources using this file type. Choose Close in the Data Sources dialog box, and exit Control Panel.

You can now use the data source in Microsoft Query without locking the table file.

KBCategory: kbusage kberrmsg kbtool
KBSubcategory: xlquery

Additional reference words: 1.00 5.00 err msg



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Last reviewed: September 12, 1996
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