The environment would be a Frontend on each users machine and the Backend on the server, using Access 2000 or 2002 or 2003.

I have found on occasion that the error message “Unable to update; currently locked” is sometimes accompanied with who has the record(s) locked. I have noticed that when the first person to start a shared database does so thru an icon, only the “Unable to update; currently locked” message is displayed. If the first person to start the session does so by using the Open command on the File menu, then the message will include the name of the user, or computer name which has the records locked, for example “Unable to update; currently locked by ‘username’”

I have assumed that this distinction has to do with whether the database is using record level locking or page level locking. When the error message does not include the user name, I have assumed that page level locking is in place, and I have everyone log out of the database and start the database thru the File, Open menu options.

The following notes are from the Help listed in Access 2003.

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o “To make record-level locking the new default setting for the current Microsoft Access database, select the Open databases using record-level locking check box.
To make page-level locking the new default setting for the current Access database, clear the Open databases using record-level locking check box.
2. This setting takes effect the next time you open the Access database, but you must use the Open command on the File menu rather than the list of most recently used files at the end of the File menu.”
******************************************************************
The instructions listed in 2. require that the Open command on the File menu be used rather then the list of most recently used files or I assume some icon.

So in conclusion can someone verify for me the following assumptions:

A. “Unable to update; currently locked” without indicating who has locked the record(s) indicates that page level locking is currently in place; and if the user’s name is included, then record level locking is in place.
B. To ensure that record level locking is in place, the option must be checked and the first person to open the database must do so thru the File, Open command.

The error can occur for either record level or page level locking.
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechn...part3/ch16.mspx

This code may help with the maintaining of shared mode:
http://www.fmsinc.com/free/newtips/Access/accesstip36.asp

This may help fix the locking errors:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/273956
http://www.fmsinc.com/free/newtips/access/accesstip7.asp

Thanks Matt!

I found the specific error codes as listed below.

3218 "Could not update; currently locked."
This error occurs when a user tries to save a record that is locked by another user.

3260 "Couldn't update; currently locked by user <name> on machine <name>."
This error occurs when a user attempts to edit a record and the current record (or if you are using page-level locking, the page it is on) is locked.

It is still not altogether clear why one error message is generated over the other. The only distinction seems to be that in 3218, the user is trying to save the record, and 3260 the user is trying to edit a record; in either case the user is attempting to place a lock on a record that is already locked by another user.

In practice, when I see error 3218, it is almost always because the database was not started thru the File, Open option, but thru a shortcut and problems usually ensue. Where as when error 3260 happens, I can go to the particiular user and usually find that they have an open dialog box waiting for them to continue. Once they do so, everything is fine.

Thanks for your help. THough the distinction between these two errors still puzzles me.

I would check to see if the service packs for Access/Office have been installed on each user's PC (especially the Access 2000 users).

Also, using MDE files rather than MDB files have eliminated issues I experienced when supporting MS Access applications in a mixed environment (different Access versions).

http://www.myaccesstips.com/deploy/deploy.html