Operation must use an updatable query. (Error 3073

Question

On some Microsoft Access queries, I get the following message: Operation must use an updatable query. (Error 3073). I work around it by using temporary tables, but I'm wondering if there's a better way. All the tables involved have a primary key. Here's the code:

UPDATE CLOG SET CLOG.NEXTDUE = (
    SELECT H1.paidthru 
    FROM CTRHIST as H1
    WHERE H1.ACCT = clog.ACCT AND
    H1.SEQNO = (
        SELECT MAX(SEQNO) 
        FROM CTRHIST 
        WHERE CTRHIST.ACCT = Clog.ACCT AND 
        CTRHIST.AMTPAID > 0 AND
        CTRHIST.DATEPAID < CLOG.UPDATED_ON
    )
)
WHERE CLOG.NEXTDUE IS NULL;

Answer 1

You can always write the code in VBA that updates similarly. I had this problem too, and my workaround was making a select query, with all the joins, that had all the data I was looking for to be able to update, making that a recordset and running the update query repeatedly as an update query of only the updating table, only searching the criteria you're looking for

    Dim updatingItems As Recordset
    Dim clientName As String
    Dim tableID As String
    Set updatingItems = CurrentDb.OpenRecordset("*insert SELECT SQL here*");", dbOpenDynaset)
    Do Until updatingItems .EOF
        clientName = updatingItems .Fields("strName")
        tableID = updatingItems .Fields("ID")
        DoCmd.RunSQL "UPDATE *ONLY TABLE TO UPDATE* SET *TABLE*.strClientName= '" & clientName & "' WHERE (((*TABLE*.ID)=" & tableID & "))"
        updatingItems.MoveNext
    Loop

I'm only doing this to about 60 records a day, doing it to a few thousand could take much longer, as the query is running from start to finish multiple times, instead of just selecting an overall group and making changes. You might need ' ' around the quotes for tableID, as it's a string, but I'm pretty sure this is what worked for me.

Answer 2

check your DB (Database permission) and give full permission

Go to DB folder-> right click properties->security->edit-> give full control & Start menu ->run->type "uac" make it down (if it high)

Answer 3

The answer given above by iDevlop worked for me. Note that I wasn't able to find the RecordsetType property in my update query. However, I was able to find that property by changing my query to a select query, setting that property as iDevlop noted and then changing my query to an update query. This worked, no need for a temp table.

I'd have liked for this to just be a comment to what iDevlop posted so that it flowed from his solution, but I don't have a high enough score.

Answer 4

Today in my MS-Access 2003 with an ODBC tabla pointing to a SQL Server 2000 with sa password gave me the same error.
I defined a Primary Key on the table in the SQL Server database, and the issue was gone.

Answer 5

There is no error in the code. But the error is Thrown because of the following reason.

 - Please check weather you have given Read-write permission to MS-Access database file.

 - The Database file where it is stored (say in Folder1) is read-only..? 

suppose you are stored the database (MS-Access file) in read only folder, while running your application the connection is not force-fully opened. Hence change the file permission / its containing folder permission like in C:\Program files all most all c drive files been set read-only so changing this permission solves this Problem.

Answer 6

Mine failed with a simple INSERT statement. Fixed by starting the application with 'Run as Administrator' access.