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Q105795: BUG: Cannot Have a Pathname > 29 Char for SYSTEM.MDA

Article: Q105795
Product(s): Open Database Connectivity (ODBC)
Version(s): WINDOWS:1.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbBug kbISS
Last Modified: 27-JUL-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Open Database Connectivity, version 1.0 
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BUG# ODBCDBASE: 1852 (1.01.1928)

SYMPTOMS
========

The ODBC Access driver does not recognize a SYSTEM.MDA file for which the path
is longer than 29 characters.

The ODBC Access driver can be used to connect to secure Access databases. To do
this, the user should specify a SYSTEM.MDA file associated with the Access
database--by selecting the Options button in the Access Datasource Setup dialog
box, and specifying a complete path for the SYSTEM.MDA file.

If this path is longer than 29 characters, the driver gives the following error
during SQLConnect or SQLDriverConnect:

  szSqlState = '08004', *pfNativeError = -1023
  szErrorMsg="[Microsoft][ODBC Single-Tier Driver][ODBC File
  Library]Invalid path

For example, the following path will work for SYSTEM.MDA (it is 29 characters
long):

  c:\temp\snuffy1\ok\system.mda

while the following does not work (it is 30 characters long):

  c:\temp\snuffy1\bad\system.mda

WORKAROUND
==========

Move the SYSTEM.MDA file to a different directory so that the path is less than
29 characters.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Access Driver version
1.01.1928. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in
the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

Additional query words: 1.01.1928 ODBC ACCESS

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbBug kbISS 
Technology        : kbAudDeveloper kbODBCSearch kbODBC100
Version           : WINDOWS:1.0
Issue type        : kbbug

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