Retrieving deleted records

Topic

New Reply

Retrieving deleted records.

Is there anyway that you can retrieve deleted records?
While this particular table will be very easy to bring back in, future projects may not be.
I hit the delete key, and confirmed the deletion, so that should explain all of my available options.

I mean, isn’t there a history or undo file?
Deleting any file is easy but the technical detail involved is laughable. Removing the leading character of the file. That makes retrieving the file a snap with the right utility. I would assume that deleted records just go to some type of ‘record limbo’ until the database is closed, at least. Isn’t this the case…or do they just die without a trace?

Reply | Quote

Replies

They presumably do (otherwise there would be far less need to compact actively used databases regularly to avoid “bloat”), however no, there isn’t any way to get them back (other than possibly attacking the mdb file with a byte editor to extract the text; good luck – you’ll need it! )

Reply | Quote

It was purely academic.
I naturally backed up the table before hand.
Besides, it was an easy table to recreate.

I was just wondering, had I used a delete query instead, how would one, if one could, get back their records.
NOT…appears to be the answer.
Thanks

Reply | Quote

Every help file from version 1.0 forward has made the point that there is no going back once you confirm record deletions, whether you do it from the table or through a query or using an .Execute or a .Delete method. Keep in mind that you are working in live data at all times with Access when you use a table or query. The records are not just flagged as deleted as in programs like dBase. They are actually removed from the table.

And no, there is no history or undo. Since an Access database is contained within a database file rather than being broken up into separate table files and form files and report files, etc., maintaining a history (you could build your own, by the way) would be a good way to hit the upper limit on size quickly.

Size change in Access mdbs is one-way (up) until you compact. It expands but doesn’t know it should contract as well, partly because of the temporary tables and queries it builds behind the scenes. Actually SQL Server works pretty much the same way in that respect.

Reply | Quote

If you are designing an application where users might want to recover deleted records, you need to do your owh “Mark as Deleted” flag and then filter to exclude these records.

However if the users can get at the tables and delete them there is nothing you can do to protect them against their stupidity.

Reply | Quote