[Solved] Can't save changes to form design

[BrianME]

I have a database with a couple tables, and several queries, forms, and reports. All seems to work fine.

Problem is if I go in to edit a form (any of the several that I have) and change something, say a field width, I can't save the change. The save icon is shadowed out as is the save command under file menu. The forms all seem to work OK, but I can't save a design change to any of them. There are no error pop-ups. I can still use the forms to add records or change data, just not the form design itself.

I can edit the design of the tables, queries, and reports and save them, just not the forms.

[Villeroy]

Can you edit and save the design of tables, queries, reports?

[BrianME]

Yes, I can edit the tables, queries, reports and save them, just not the forms.

[Villeroy]

What happens when you close all forms and create a copy of it? Is the copy editable? Or a simple new one?

[BrianME]

Made a copy and I can edit the "new" form, but still can't save the changes.

Threw together a new form and again I can edit it but still can't save the changes.

[Villeroy]

Strange. The status bar reads "embedded HSQLDB", right?
Do you see the same problem with a database downloaded from this forum? For instance, download/file.php?id=11250
Make sure that you download it to one of your folders. Temporary views from the internet are read-only by design.

[BrianME]

Since I've lost the database a couple of times when it didn't save properly, I have a backup.

The good news is that the backup allows me to edit the design of a form and save it.

The bad news is that the backup is 10 days old and all my work on a new table, new query, new form, and the data I entered via the new form, is lost.

I still have the "bad" file so if someone can tell me how to recover it I'd be very grateful.

As I said, in the past I've saved the database only to have it not re-open later. Don't know what happens during a routine save, but it messes up the file so OO apparently can't read it. I've now written a batch file to backup the file and keep all the old files. It's only good for once a day, but at least I'll have multiple backups.

[BrianME]

Well, nothing's changed except I updated my batch file to append not only the date of the backup, but also the time of the backup so I can save a backup once per minute instead of only once a day.

[gkick]

It appears you are using an embedded database
One possible recovery strategy

make a copy of your working backup copy
delete all forms and queries therein

then copy one element, form or query from the nonworking file,
test the copied object....
sort of a trial by elimination to find the offending cause

[BrianME]

Thanks for the suggestion, but by the time I saw it I'd already started rebuilding the table, query, and form. It went a lot faster and easier this time and I made a couple of improvements along the way. Re-entering the data is taking a little longer but I'm getting quicker at that, too.

Now I make sure to save the database whenever the save icon is lit up and I make backups before and after I make any changes or additions. Now if the file gets screwed up, I won't have as much to redo.