Name AutoCorrect fixes discrepancies that occur when you rename any forms, reports, tables, queries, or controls on forms and reports. If you create forms or other objects while Name AutoCorrect is turned off, then turn Name AutoCorrect on, Access will fix any new discrepancies as you continue working with the objects. If one of the objects already has a renaming error when you turn Name AutoCorrect on, you will have to fix references to the object manually. For forms or reports that contain Microsoft Visual Basic code, Access repairs references to the form, but does not repair references to objects in the Visual Basic project.

In addition to the features mentioned above, Name AutoCorrect in Access 2002 also supports changes to:

• Field names in the Sorting and Grouping dialog for reports.
• Controls bound to columns in a SQL statement. For example, a report using a SQL statement as its record source where the field name of a bound control changes.
• Field name changes in update or append queries.
• The last columns in queries with a large number (>150) of columns.

Name AutoCorrect doesn't fix references in:

• A Microsoft Access project.
• A replicated database. When you replicate your database, Access turns Name AutoCorrect off. You can't turn on Name AutoCorrect in a database Design Master or replica.
• A converted database (see additional information below).
• Data access pages, macros, and modules.
• Desktop shortcuts that open a particular database object.
• An invalid SQL statement.
• Microsoft Visual Basic code.
• A linked table when the table or fields have been renamed in the back end of a front-end/back-end database.
• The Filter or OrderBy properties of tables, queries, forms, and reports.
• References to macros in a toolbar or menu, including menu and toolbar properties and event properties that are set to macro names.

All of the Name AutoCorrect options are accessed via the General tab in the Options dialog from the Tools menu, as highlighted in the following image.

When you turn on the Track name AutoCorrect info option (located on the General tab in the Options dialog under the Tools menu item), Access opens, examines, and saves each of the objects (tables, queries, forms, reports, etc.) in your database. This allows Access to create a list (also known as a name map) of objects and their dependencies. Then, whenever you open a form or other object, if the Perform name AutoCorrect option is selected, Access automatically looks for and fixes discrepancies between the form and the other objects that the form depends on. For example, if you open a form that is bound to a table, Access compares the date/time stamps for the table and the form. If they are different, Access performs a Name AutoCorrect to detect and correct differences in the names of fields in the table and names of controls on the form. If the Log name AutoCorrect changes option is selected, Access also creates a log of the changes it makes to the database when name errors are repaired. These changes are saved to a table called AutoCorrect Log.

In order to take advantage of the Name AutoCorrect feature, you must be able to save changes to the form, report, or other object that Name AutoCorrect is fixing. You can save changes to an object if you have permission to modify the design of the object, if you have write access to the database, and if you have exclusive access to make changes. If you can't save the object, the fixes are discarded when you close the object. Name AutoCorrect makes the changes each time that the object is opened but can't save the changes until someone with permissions to modify the design opens and saves the object. You may experience a delay when opening objects if the Name AutoCorrect feature is enabled and you don't have the proper permissions or exclusive access to make the changes. For more information on setting permissions in an Access database or opening the database exclusively, see Access Help.

The logic to create "name maps" is not performed when Name AutoCorrect is enabled programmatically for a specific object. For example, when Name AutoCorrect is enabled in code by the SetOption method, no name map is created. You should initially enable Name AutoCorrect in the Options dialog box on the Tools menu, and then turn it on or off for an object programmatically.