Can't open data if someone has the database open?

I have a database that has a linked .txt file in it. I
have it pulling this text to populate the data fields in
the database. This file is located on a server with the
rights open to all. I am using this text file to get
information from a mainframe. Now if someone has this
database running it locks the text file and everyone gets
this error. "The Microsoft Jet database engine cannot
open the file '~sq_fMiainframe', It is already open
exclusively by another user, or you need permission to
view its data.
I have checked rights and all have sheared right to open
it. So, am I missing something?
Anyone have any thoughts?

As far as I know this is normal, though inconvenient. Access locks the
file when it opens the linked table to ensure that no other process can
modify it and thereby invalidate the data that Access is displaying.

On Fri, 28 May 2004 09:04:12 -0700, "MJV"
wrote:

I have a database that has a linked .txt file in it. I
have it pulling this text to populate the data fields in
the database. This file is located on a server with the
rights open to all. I am using this text file to get
information from a mainframe. Now if someone has this
database running it locks the text file and everyone gets
this error. "The Microsoft Jet database engine cannot
open the file '~sq_fMiainframe', It is already open
exclusively by another user, or you need permission to
view its data.
I have checked rights and all have sheared right to open
it. So, am I missing something?
Anyone have any thoughts?

--
John Nurick [Microsoft Access MVP]

Please respond in the newgroup and not by email.

MJV wrote:

I have a database that has a linked .txt file in it. I
have it pulling this text to populate the data fields in
the database. This file is located on a server with the
rights open to all. I am using this text file to get
information from a mainframe. Now if someone has this
database running it locks the text file and everyone gets
this error. "The Microsoft Jet database engine cannot
open the file '~sq_fMiainframe', It is already open
exclusively by another user, or you need permission to
view its data.
I have checked rights and all have sheared right to open
it. So, am I missing something?
Anyone have any thoughts?


According to Access 2000 "Help", "When you edit data in a linked SQL
database table by using ODBC, Microsoft Access doesn't lock records;
instead, the rules of that SQL database govern locking. In this
instance, regardless of the record-locking setting you choose for your
database, Microsoft Access always acts as though the No Locks setting
has been selected."

That implies to me that you should be looking not at the settings in
Access but at those on the main database. The main database shouldn't
lock you out if you just want to retrieve or edit data; normally the
only time a whole table locks for more than the very short time it takes
to run an update query is when someone's doing database maintenance on it.

Steve