Need help... ready to kill M$

I have recently created a DB using office 2003, but used the 2000 format so my other users wouldn't run into conflicts. Ofcourse that wasn't the case. When another user opens the database, they get an error saying there is a broken reference to comdlg32.ocx, which one of the files for the common dialog control. When I go to the reference dialog box it says MISSING: Common Dialog control 6.0 (SP6). Does anyone know how I can restore this? I saw on the Microsoft site a similar problem but it just said to recreate the controls with the same name as before. The problem is, I don't have the control in my toolbox to recreate them.

help plz :(

Try manually reinsert it first: go to Components and navigate to System32 folder and select comdlg32.ocx and say OK. If it doesn't work then reinstall VB.
In any case SAVE A COPY of your project before changing it in a different folder !!!

The comdlg32.ocx is not a standard Access control. It must have been added through the toolbox as an additional control from
a system that has VB6 installed on it. You can add just about any VB6 control to the Office's toolbox, but you will need to distribute it
along with your db.

How would I distribute it with my DB? Sorry if that is a dumb question, never did it before.

Right now I was able add it on one PC, but I had to browse through the network to my PC to find the .ocx. Is there a better way to do this?

Maybe you could create a small setup package to copy the db, the ocx, register the ocx, and be done.
You could also just write a batch file to copy and register the ocx. Setup a netword share to contain the db and ocx.

I'll help you kill ms...

Stoopid excel text import depending on regional settings (mutter)


Ok, for your common dialog problem, as you have seen it is a pain to set up all the comps to use the active x control - there is an alternative.

API

Yup, the common dialog active x control just wraps the api calls, and there are loads of types of coding around to do the file selection/colour selection (and even printer selection althoughI haven't used that - yet).

Below is some code for a module (say mdlApis)

Code:

---

Option Compare Database
Option Explicit

'---- Other useful vars
Public Const MaxDWord As Double = 4294967295#
Public Const mMax_Path = 4096

'---------------
'---- Types ----

Public Type typOpenFilename
    lStructSize As Long
    hwndOwner As Long
    hInstance As Long
    lpstrFilter As String
    lpstrCustomFilter As String
    nMaxCustFilter As Long
    nFilterIndex As Long
    lpstrFile As String
    nMaxFile As Long
    lpstrFileTitle As String
    nMaxFileTitle As Long
    lpstrInitialDir As String
    lpstrTitle As String
    Flags As Long
    nFileOffset As Integer
    nFileExtension As Integer
    lpstrDefExt As String
    lCustData As Long
    lpfnHook As Long
    lpTemplateName As String
End Type

Public Type typChooseColor
    lStructSize As Long
    hwndOwner As Long
    hInstance As Long
    rgbResult As Long
    lpCustColors As String
    Flags As Long
    lCustData As Long
    lpfnHook As Long
    lpTemplateName As String
End Type



'---- General timing function/api - useful
Public Declare Function apiGetTickCount Lib "kernel32" Alias "GetTickCount" () As Long

'---- common dialog stuff :)
Public Declare Function apiGetOpenFilename Lib "comdlg32.dll" Alias "GetOpenFileNameA" (ptypOpenFilename As typOpenFilename) As Long
Public Declare Function apiGetSaveFileName Lib "comdlg32.dll" Alias "GetSaveFileNameA" (ptypOpenFilename As typOpenFilename) As Long
Public Declare Function apiGetChooseColor Lib "comdlg32.dll" Alias "ChooseColorA" (ptypChooseColor As typChooseColor) As Long





'---- my design based on MS Help - Selects a colour using the common dialog box
Public Function ColourSelection(Optional lngFlags, Optional lngInitColour) As Long
'---- Uses the common dialog box / colour selection
'---- usual flags are : 1 - starting colour specified, 2 - full open
'----  so use 3 as the flag every time

'---- Returns :
'----  -1 : Failed/cancelled
'----  >=0 : colour in long

    Dim cChoose As typChooseColor
    Dim lngRes As Long
    Dim intI As Integer
    Dim bytCols As Byte

    On Error Resume Next

    ColourSelection = -1

    With cChoose

'---- default info
        .lStructSize = Len(cChoose)
        .hwndOwner = 0
        .hInstance = 0
        .lpCustColors = StrConv(bytCols, vbUnicode)

'---- optional bits
        .Flags = 0
        .rgbResult = 0

        If Not IsMissing(lngFlags) Then .Flags = lngFlags
        If Not IsMissing(lngInitColour) Then .rgbResult = lngInitColour

        lngRes = apiGetChooseColor(cChoose)
        If lngRes > 0 Then ColourSelection = .rgbResult
    End With

    If Not Err.Number = 0 Then ColourSelection = -1
End Function

'---- Selects a/several file(s) using common dialogs
Public Function FileSelection(ByVal strInitDir As String, ByVal lngFlag As Long, ByVal strFilter As String, ByVal lngFilterIndex As Long, ByVal blnOpen As Boolean, Optional strTitle, Optional strFileExtension, Optional lngOwnerHwnd) As String
'---- Selects one or more filenames
'---- Requires
'----  inital directory to open in
'----  flags for opening


'---- usual flags are :
'----  &H200000 - use long filenames
'----  &H80000 - Explorer type window
'----  &H200 - multi select
'----  &H4 - hide read only option on box - v useful
'----  &H8 - force same dir as when opened
'----  &H1000 - file must exist - useful for opening
'---- usual I use : &H280004

'---- Returns a string holding either :
'----  nothing
'----  path and filename
'----  path chr$(0) filenames separated by chr$(0)
'---- NOTE : current max chars = 257 ... I think expand if neccessary

    Dim strTemp As String
    Dim lngReturn As Long, lngP As Long, lngO As Long
    Dim cOpenFilename As typOpenFilename

    On Error Resume Next

    With cOpenFilename

'---- Default values according to another developer
        .lStructSize = Len(cOpenFilename)
        .hInstance = 0
        .nFilterIndex = 1
        .nFileOffset = 0
        .lpstrFile = String(5000, 0)
        .nMaxFile = Len(.lpstrFile) - 1
        .lpstrFileTitle = .lpstrFile
        .nMaxFileTitle = .nMaxFile

        If Not IsMissing(strFileExtension) Then .lpstrDefExt = strFileExtension


'---- Bits like the common dialog control
        If blnOpen Then
            .lpstrTitle = "Open a file..."
        Else
            .lpstrTitle = "Save file as..."
        End If
        If Not IsMissing(strTitle) Then .lpstrTitle = strTitle

'---- messing
'----  default filter

'---- each filter is separated by a character of 0 - Name - filter - name filter (etc..)
'---- example :
'        .lpstrFilter = "All Files" & Chr$(0) & "*.*" & Chr$(0) & "Text Files" & Chr$(0) & "*.txt;*.csv"
'---- replace filter with the selection chosen by the programmer...
        .lpstrFilter = "All Files (*.*)" & Chr$(0) & "*.*"

        lngO = 1
        lngP = InStr(1, strFilter, "|")
        If lngP > 0 Then
            strTemp = ""
            Do Until lngP = 0
                strTemp = strTemp & IIf(Len(strTemp) > 0, Chr$(0), "") & Mid$(strFilter, lngO, lngP - lngO)
                lngO = lngP + 1
                lngP = InStr(lngP + 1, strFilter, "|")
            Loop
            strTemp = strTemp & Chr$(0) & Right$(strFilter, Len(strFilter) - lngO + 1)
        Else
            strTemp = strFilter
        End If
        .lpstrFilter = strTemp

        .Flags = lngFlag

        .hwndOwner = 0
        If Not IsMissing(lngOwnerHwnd) Then .hwndOwner = lngOwnerHwnd
'---- remark out the next line - or amend it as applicable
        If .hwndOwner = 0 Then .hwndOwner = Application.hWndAccessApp

        .lpstrInitialDir = strInitDir

    End With

'---- is the dialog box an open or save?
    If blnOpen Then
        lngReturn = apiGetOpenFilename(cOpenFilename)
    Else
        lngReturn = apiGetSaveFileName(cOpenFilename)
    End If

'---- send back the selected file(s)
    If lngReturn = 0 Then
        FileSelection = ""
    Else
        FileSelection = RemoveNonPChars(cOpenFilename.lpstrFile)
    End If

End Function

Public Function RemoveNonPChars(ByVal strText As String) As String
'---- gets rid of the extra chr$(0)'s in the text
'---- by looking for two chr$(0)'s together (only happens at the end...)
'---- NOTE : only removes those at the end of the string - for multi means that you can get the filenames...
    Dim lngP As Long

    On Error Resume Next

    RemoveNonPChars = " "
    If Len(strText) = 0 Then Exit Function
    lngP = InStr(1, strText, Chr$(0) & Chr$(0))
    If lngP > 1 Then RemoveNonPChars = Left$(strText, lngP - 1)
    If Not Err.Number = 0 Then
        RemoveNonPChars = " "
        Err.Clear
    End If
End Function

---

I think it is all in there. Have a play and see if that helps. If not, go with RobDoggs registering post...