Bug eats Access data

Microsoft prepares software patch to fix flaw in Office 97 database.

Microsoft has admitted that users of its Access 97 database couldse. have vital data destroyed by a recently discovered bug in the program.

The company's popular database, bundled with its Office 97 suite, has a flaw that could result in database entries being overwritten without the user's knowledge. It can also trickle down to cripple other business-critical applications that rely on Access for their data.

The software giant denied that the problem with the database's 'Combo Box' feature would affect the majority of users. "It's something that a power user would potentially run into," said John Duncan, product manager for Microsoft Office. "We take it very seriously and we want to respond to it quickly."

Despite these denials, Microsoft issued instructions for a work-around and promised that it was currently developing a patch for general distribution.

The bug centres on the Access 'Combo Box' that is designed to allow users to shuffle between bookmarked data entries. It strikes when a user, working on a long form within the program's 'Form View' mode, deletes a database entry located early in a list and then moves to another record. If this subsequent record is accessed via the Combo Box, the program does not recognise that the first entry has been deleted. Any changes made might actually take effect on the last listed record, rather than the intended target. The user, however, would not be able to determine that changes had been made to the wrong field.

Microsoft testers confirmed the existence of the bug in Access 97, but denied reports in the US which claimed it was also present in Access 95 or Access 2.0.

TACKLING THE ACCESS BUG

Initially it is best to wait for the software patch that Microsoft has promised users it will issue shortly.

In the meantime the company has suggested taking the following action: While using the software, go to the Access Design View and right-click to open the Combo Box.

Users should then type 'me.requery' into the dialog box.

Saving the datasheet after this process should ensure data integrity.