Microsoft Access 2010 is a new addition to the Microsoft Access series, which introduces a handful of advanced and useful features. However, many of these features are not supported in early Access versions, more specifically in its predecessor, i.e. MS Access 2007. It is seen that some of the features of Access 2010 are not at all supported by Access 2007 Service Pack 1 (SP1). On the other hand, Access 2007 Service Pack 2 (SP2) allows limited viewing and designing on databases that contain these new features. Hence, it lets you access more features of Access 2010 than SP1. However, there occur situations when you need to access applications created with Access 2010 in Access 2007. In such cases, you have to perform certain steps to make Access 2010 compatible with Access 2007. This kind of compatibility of higher version to lower is called backward compatibility.
How to Create Backward Compatibility between MS Access 2010 and 2007
Mentioned below are some of the features that are partially compatible or completely incompatible with your Access 2007 SP2 and steps to create backward compatibility:
Feature 1: New and Updated Sort Orders of the Database
Your database will not at all load in Access 2007 SP2. In such case, you need to choose the sort order, which is compatible with Access 2007. Follow below mentioned steps to do the same: 1. Go to Microsoft Office button. 2. Click ‘Options’. 3. Go to the ‘General’ tab and pick Access 2007 sort order in list box having ‘New database sort order’. 4. Click ‘OK’. 5. Create a blank database in Access 2010. 6. Import all the objects from the previous database to this new database and save the new database.
Feature 2: Encryption in Access 2010
The encrypted database will not open in Access 2007 SP2. To overcome this issue, follow the below mentioned steps: 1. In Access 2010, create a blank database. 2. In this new database, import all the previous objects. Type the password, when asked. 3. Save the new database.
Feature 3: Macros of Data
In this case, the database opens, but the tables that contain macros are read-only. That means the user cannot edit or enter new data in table using Access 2007 SP2. On the other hand, forms and reports that are in the table having macros can be opened as well as modified in the design or layout view, but the data that is drawn from the table cannot be modified. 1. Open your table. 2. Go to ‘Modify Fields’ tab. From there, go to ‘Field >> Record & Table Events’ and click ‘Manage Table Events’. 3. In the ‘Data Macro Manager’ dialog box, click every Data Macro, and then click ‘Delete’. A confirmation dialog box appears. Click ‘Yes’ on it. 4. After completion of the deletion process of all the Macros, close the ‘Data Macro Manager’ dialog box by clicking ‘Close’. 5. Close your table as well and select ‘Yes’ when the software asks you to save the changes. 6. Create a blank database in Access 2010. 7. Import all the objects from the previous database to new database. 8. Save this new database.
Feature 4: Database Having Web Objects
The web objects contained in your Access 2010 database that have not undergone ‘Prepare Database for Web’ process or been published can be opened in Access 2007 SP2. However, you cannot modify these Web objects in Access 2007 SP2. To import these objects into new database, follow the below steps: 1. Delete all the web objects used in Access 2010 database. 2. Create a new blank database in Access 2010. 3. Next, import all the objects from previous database to this new database. 4. Save the new database. By following the above steps and removing the features that are not compatible with Access 2007, you can easily create backward compatibility between Access 2010 and 2007. However, even after creating the backward compatibility, you cannot save your database file in .MDB format. You will get an error message when you try to save your Access database file (created in Access 2007 or Access 2010) in .MDB format. In such cases, to make your database usable in Access 2003 or earlier versions, you have to delete all the features that are not compatible with .MDB file, and then follow the import steps.
Mark K. William has a great passion for writing articles on MS Access database tips & tricks. Currently he is writing for Access database repair software from Stellar Phoenix.
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