TITLE:  "Couldn't find Object <tablename>" with Btrieve Files

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The information in this article applies to:
 
 - Microsoft Access version 1.0
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Summary:
 
A number of people have reported receiving the error message
 
   Couldn't find object '<table name.'
 
when attempting to import or attach to Btrieve files.  This
article explains how to identify and fix this problem.
 
More Information:
 
Microsoft Access requires the Xtrieve-format data dictionary files,
FILE.DDF, INDEX.DDF, and FIELDS.DDF, to be able to use Btrieve
files.  FILE.DDF contains the DOS file name of each data table
in the dictionary.  These file names can be in any of the valid four
DOS formats:
 
   1.  File Only  ("mydata.dat")
 
   2.  Relative Path ("..\dev\test\mydata.dat")
 
   3.  Fully Qualified ("c:\tools\dev\test\mydata.dat")
 
   4.  Universal Naming Convention, UNC
         ("\\myserver\users\joe\tools\dev\test\mydata.dat")
 
When importing or attaching to a Btrieve file, Microsoft Access
retrieves the DOS filename from FILE.DDF.  It then attempts to open
this file.  If the file doesn't exist in the location specified,
you will receive the error
 
   Couldn't find object
 
In the case of the first 2 examples, the ability to open the
file is dependant on the current directory being correct.  For
example #1, MYDATA.DAT must exist in the current directory.
For example #2, MYDATA.DAT, the "..\DEV\TEST" directory must
exist relative to the current directory, and MYDATA.DAT must
exist in it.
 
Exactly which directory is the current directory is complicated
by the fact that under Windows, all applications share the same
environment, and therefore the same current directory.  If you
change the current directory in Excel, for example by doing a
File Open and changing directories to open a file, the current
directory for Microsoft Access is also changed.
 
So, the first step to fixing the problem is to find out what the
paths are in FILE.DDF. You can do this by opening FILE.DDF in
WRITE, the word processor provided with Windows.  When asked if
you want to convert this file to WRITE format, specify No
Conversion.  You will see a bunch of characters that look like a
box.  Scroll to the end of the file.  There you will see the DOS
filenames of your Btrieve data files.  The extension is usually
.DAT, but doesn't have to be.
 
WARNING: DO NOT save the file after you are finished viewing
it with WRITE.  If you save this file, it will become corrupt and
unrepairable.
 
Now that you have the file names, there are 2 things you can do
to fix the problem
 
1. Move the files into the correct location(s).  This is the
   easiest fix, and the one we recommend.
 
2. Using Btrieve or one of the third-party and/or shareware
   tools, modify FILE.DDF so that the path to the .DAT file is
   correct.  This method is much more complicated, and not
   recommended for anyone not intimately familiar with Btrieve.