Convert Access 2010 accdb to 2007 accdb

Question

I'm trying to convert an accdb file from use in Access 2010 to Access 2007. I first tried opening the file with Access 2007 and I get the error Unrecognized database format. I was able to get my backend to open in 2007 by removing the MSysResources table (which uses the new attachment datatype) but the same technique has not worked with my front end.

My front end does use a webbrowser control (which Microsoft claims won't work but also won't stop the file form being opened). I thought I'd better import one form at a time to see where the error is. While in a new, blank 2007 file I tried to use External Data>Access to import one form (a very simple form, a button, two text boxes). Same error as opening the whole file. I tried having 2010 open at the same time as 2007 and copy/pasting the form over. Same error. Unrecognized database format.

I then try to export the form using Application.SaveAsText in 2010 and import using Application.LoadFromText in 2007. There were errors importing but at least this method generates an error log. The error.txt file has issue with the header line PublishOption =1. After I remove that I continually get errors regarding theme settings. I remove every line it has a problem with which are from there on all theme related (HoverForeThemeColorIndex, AlternateBackThemeColorIndex...). I never did get rid of enough of these to successfully import the form though.

Where am I going wrong? If, like I suspect, I cannot use a theme generated in 2010 in 2007, how can I remove all these references from all my forms? Is this actually the problem? How can I more smoothly move back to a 2007 file?

Edit: It turns out the client is on Office 2007 SP2. I'm going to update my development machine and try all this again. I was not using nay service packs originally.

Solution

According to the Microsoft support article

Backward compatibility between Access 2010 and Access 2007

an Access 2010 database can be reverted back to "Access 2007 format" by

1. removing all Access_2010-specific features from the database (details in the article),
2. creating a new "Blank Database" (not "Blank Web Database"), and
3. using External Data > Import in Access 2010 to import all objects (tables, forms, etc.) from the previous database into the new (empty) one.

The list of features that must be removed include a couple that may not be immediately obvious to a casual inspection of the original Access 2010 database, such as

• using a new or updated database sort order, and
• using "Access 2010 encryption compliance".

Comments

[Brad]

(many months later I figured out some more of this puzzle for another project) The one that was particularly not obvious for me at the time was finding all the Empty Cell Controls.