The Design Master (Design Master: The only member of the replica set in which you can make changes to the database structure that can be propagated to other replicas.) might have been moved from its original location or might be damaged. To find the new location:

1. Open a replica (replica: A copy of a database that is a member of a replica set and can be synchronized with other replicas in the set. Changes to the data in a replicated table in one replica are sent and applied to the other replicas.) in the replica set (replica set: The Design Master and all replicas that share the same database design and unique replica set identifier.).
2. On the Tools menu, point to Replication, and then click Synchronize Now.
3. Click Browse to locate other members of the replica set on your computer or network.
4. Select a member of the replica set. If the Make 'Filename' the Design Master check box appears, the member you are synchronizing (synchronization: The process of updating two members of a replica set by exchanging all updated records and objects in each member. Two replica set members are synchronized when the changes in each have been applied to the other.) with is the Design Master.

The Design Master (Design Master: The only member of the replica set in which you can make changes to the database structure that can be propagated to other replicas.) might be damaged. Make a replica (replica: A copy of a database that is a member of a replica set and can be synchronized with other replicas in the set. Changes to the data in a replicated table in one replica are sent and applied to the other replicas.) of the new Design Master.

How?

You can recover a Design Master (Design Master: The only member of the replica set in which you can make changes to the database structure that can be propagated to other replicas.) if the file has been lost, damaged, or moved. However, this option is unavailable if the currently opened replica (replica: A copy of a database that is a member of a replica set and can be synchronized with other replicas in the set. Changes to the data in a replicated table in one replica are sent and applied to the other replicas.) is a partial replica (partial replica: A database that contains only a subset of the records in a full replica. With a partial replica, you can set filters and identify relationships that define which subset of the records in the full replica should be present in the database.).

1. Make sure that there is no Design Master in the replica set (replica set: The Design Master and all replicas that share the same database design and unique replica set identifier.).
2. Open the replica that you want to make the new Design Master.
3. On the Tools menu, point to Replication, and then click Synchronize Now.
4. Click a replica in the list, and then click OK.
5. Repeat steps 2 through 4 as many times as necessary to synchronize (synchronization: The process of updating two members of a replica set by exchanging all updated records and objects in each member. Two replica set members are synchronized when the changes in each have been applied to the other.) with each remaining replica in the replica set.

   Important  Make sure that you synchronize with all other replicas in the replica set.

6. On the Tools menu, point to Replication, and then click Recover Design Master.
7. Click Yes.

Your replica (replica: A copy of a database that is a member of a replica set and can be synchronized with other replicas in the set. Changes to the data in a replicated table in one replica are sent and applied to the other replicas.) might be in use by another operation or application and can't be opened exclusively. Wait a few minutes, and try again.

If you still can't make your replica the Design Master (Design Master: The only member of the replica set in which you can make changes to the database structure that can be propagated to other replicas.) and haven't received another error message, your replica may be damaged. Delete the replica and create a new one.

Having more than one Design Master (Design Master: The only member of the replica set in which you can make changes to the database structure that can be propagated to other replicas.) in a replica set (replica set: The Design Master and all replicas that share the same database design and unique replica set identifier.) prevents the members of the set from synchronizing (synchronization: The process of updating two members of a replica set by exchanging all updated records and objects in each member. Two replica set members are synchronized when the changes in each have been applied to the other.) correctly. If this occurs, do the following:

1. Determine which Design Master should continue to be the Design Master.
2. Delete the Design Master that should not exist.
3. Delete all replicas (replica: A copy of a database that is a member of a replica set and can be synchronized with other replicas in the set. Changes to the data in a replicated table in one replica are sent and applied to the other replicas.) that had their most recent synchronization with the deleted Design Master or with other replicas that have had their most recent synchronization with the deleted Design Master.

   How?

   Caution

   • Do not delete the Design Master (Design Master: The only member of the replica set in which you can make changes to the database structure that can be propagated to other replicas.) for the replica set (replica set: The Design Master and all replicas that share the same database design and unique replica set identifier.) unless the Design Master is no longer functioning. Deleting the Design Master prevents you from changing the design of the database.
   • It's a good idea to check a replica (replica: A copy of a database that is a member of a replica set and can be synchronized with other replicas in the set. Changes to the data in a replicated table in one replica are sent and applied to the other replicas.) for existing conflicts. Otherwise, the record of any existing conflicts will be lost when you delete (or move) the replica.
   1. In Microsoft Windows Explorer, find the replica you want to delete.
   2. Click the replica that you want to delete and press the DELETE key.
   3. From another replica set member, attempt to synchronize (synchronization: The process of updating two members of a replica set by exchanging all updated records and objects in each member. Two replica set members are synchronized when the changes in each have been applied to the other.) with the deleted member. (This procedure broadcasts the deletion to the other members.)
4. Create new replicas from the remaining Design Master to replace the replica or replicas you deleted.

1. Open the member of the replica set (replica set: The Design Master and all replicas that share the same database design and unique replica set identifier.) that you want to synchronize (synchronization: The process of updating two members of a replica set by exchanging all updated records and objects in each member. Two replica set members are synchronized when the changes in each have been applied to the other.).
2. On the Tools menu, point to Replication, and then click Synchronize Now.
3. Enter the path and file name of the other replicated (replication: The process of copying a database so that two or more copies can exchange updates of data or replicated objects. This exchange is called synchronization.) database with which you want the open database to synchronize.
4. Click OK.
5. Close and reopen the database to view the updated records.
6. If your data still doesn't appear, you may have changed data in local objects (local object: A table, query, form, report, macro, or module that remains in the replica or Design Master where it was created. Neither the object nor changes to the object are copied to other members in the replica set.), which are not synchronized with the members of the replica set, or there may have been a conflict with another member.

1. Open the Design Master (Design Master: The only member of the replica set in which you can make changes to the database structure that can be propagated to other replicas.).
2. On the Tools menu, point to Replication, and then click Synchronize Now.

I want to use a different program for resolving synchronization conflicts

Briefcase replicates (replication: The process of copying a database so that two or more copies can exchange updates of data or replicated objects. This exchange is called synchronization.) Microsoft Access database (Microsoft Access database: A collection of data and objects (such as tables, queries, or forms) that is related to a particular topic or purpose. The Microsoft Jet database engine manages the data.) files that you drag into My Briefcase. If you don't want to replicate the database file, change the file extension from .mdb (or .mde) to another extension.

Versions of Microsoft Access before Microsoft Access 95 can't replicate (replication: The process of copying a database so that two or more copies can exchange updates of data or replicated objects. This exchange is called synchronization.) databases and likewise cannot use replicated databases.

You can convert a replica set (replica set: The Design Master and all replicas that share the same database design and unique replica set identifier.) that you created in Microsoft Access 97 by synchronizing (synchronization: The process of updating two members of a replica set by exchanging all updated records and objects in each member. Two replica set members are synchronized when the changes in each have been applied to the other.) your replica set and then converting every replica (replica: A copy of a database that is a member of a replica set and can be synchronized with other replicas in the set. Changes to the data in a replicated table in one replica are sent and applied to the other replicas.) individually in Access 2000 or later versions.

Note  This process must be performed before a database is replicated (replication: The process of copying a database so that two or more copies can exchange updates of data or replicated objects. This exchange is called synchronization.).

1. On the File menu, click Database Properties.
2. Click the Custom tab.
3. Select the ReplicateProject property in the Properties box.
4. Click No next to Value.
5. Click Modify.

The database file you selected isn't a replica (replica: A copy of a database that is a member of a replica set and can be synchronized with other replicas in the set. Changes to the data in a replicated table in one replica are sent and applied to the other replicas.) .mdb file. To make a replica of your database, it must first be converted to a Design Master (Design Master: The only member of the replica set in which you can make changes to the database structure that can be propagated to other replicas.). Converting your database increases the size of your file because new, hidden system fields and tables are added to your database.

If you want to be able to change the design of your database while working on the Briefcase copy of the .mdb file, make the Briefcase copy the Design Master (Design Master: The only member of the replica set in which you can make changes to the database structure that can be propagated to other replicas.). It is important to remember, however, that no one will be able to make changes to the design of the replica (replica: A copy of a database that is a member of a replica set and can be synchronized with other replicas in the set. Changes to the data in a replicated table in one replica are sent and applied to the other replicas.) remaining on the desktop.

Any formatting included in PivotTable and PivotChart views used in tables, queries, views, stored procedures, and functions is not replicated when you set up replication for your database. You can replicate the format of PivotTable and PivotChart views in a form.