I am non-programming scientist and I am using a Program called
Easyarticles from Synaptosoft Inc., which is based the database
program Access. Unfortunately, the owner of this company has
disappeared even though his website still functions. As the program
requires updating, I was wondering whether anyone has any suggestions,
as to what I should do.

The program allows you to search a public database called PubMed. You
can mark abstracts of article, which interests you and then the
program downloads these abstracts locally into a folder of your
liking. Further, if you have the full article as a PDF file you can
link it to the abstract, so that the article is already readily
available locally. Anyone familiar with this function within EndNote
will understand that it can perform a similar task.

The problem lies with PubMed website, as it updates its formatting
such that the program requires updating on a regular basis, so that
the abstracts can be downloaded. As the originator has disappeared and
I am not a programmer, I was wondering whether anyone has any
suggestions as to what to do. Exporting would be possible but not easy
as I would have to handle all 5000 articles that I currently have
individually!!!

To answer your question, we would have to know what is meant by "which is
based the database program Access". Many types of programs can access data
in an "Access database" (more specifically a Jet database engine database,
which is the default for Access).

If the user interface is also done with Access, then it is likely that it
was "compiled to MDE", resulting in a tokenized form in which only a few of
the database objects, such as queries, can be modified... Forms, Reports,
and Modules cannot be modified in an MDE.

If you have this additional information, clarify and perhaps someone can
pursue the issue with you.

It is also possible that user and group level security has been applied, in
either case.

If the tables in your Access database can be accessed (and there are
available security cracks, called "password recovery", that may work) then
you can, conceivably, create or have created a new user interface to
interact with the tables.

All in all, your best bet of all is to try to trace down the author or the
principals of the company that created the software originally and enlist
their assistance.

Without more details and information than can reasonably be shared in
newsgroup postings, it is unlikely that anyone here will be able to assist,
unless you are lucky enough to find someone who is experienced with that
specific software.

Larry Linson
Microsoft Access MVP





"gaosul" <greg_a_osullivan (AT) hotmail (DOT) com> wrote