topic Re: Database Access Error- You cannot access the catalog database in AutoCAD Electrical Forum

Database Access Error- You cannot access the catalog database

eliebeno — Wed, 15 Dec 2021 15:13:52 GMT

My company has been preparing to switch our electrical department over to AutoCAD Electrical over the past year or so. I have been the primary person building schematic symbols, editing the icon menu, and adding to the Catalog Database on Microsoft Access. I am relatively new to all of this, but I have learned a lot from these forums about how to set up the catalog database and symbol libraries to be accessible from our local network.

This morning, when I tried to insert a component using the "Catalog Browser" function, I was greeted with the message "Could not use "; file already in use."

Now, whenever I have AutoCAD open, nobody can even open the default_cat.mdb file, not even AutoCAD itself. If I try to open the file from its location in the file folder Microsoft Access gives me this error:

Once AutoCAD is closed, however, the file can be opened and edited normally.

In the past I have always been able to open the access file while AutoCAD Electrical was open. Even if the Catalog Browser was open when I made edits in the Access file, I just needed to close and re-open that window in AutoCAD to see the changes in the Catalog Browser.

Re: Database Access Error- You cannot access the catalog database

akegb817 — Wed, 15 Dec 2021 18:47:06 GMT

We also had the exact same issue come up this morning - glad to know we aren't the only ones having this problem! Our catalog is saved on a network location, and like you said, as of this morning we can only have one user running AutoCAD Electrical at a time - otherwise this error will pop up. Before, we were able to have multiple users running AutoCAD Electrical at the same time all referencing the same catalog file.

I've been searching all morning, but so far haven't found a solution, hopefully though someone on here has an idea. I'll keep you posted if I am able to find anything!

Re: Database Access Error- You cannot access the catalog database

testsubject — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 14:23:03 GMT

I also woke up to the same thing but I am the only one using ACE. The DB is stored on the server as well.

I also will post here if I come up with anything.

Edit:

Checked the database and the data is still there.

Re: Database Access Error- You cannot access the catalog database

eliebeno — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 14:51:05 GMT

If it's worth anything, I have found that it might have something to do with AutoCAD's management of Microsoft Access .ldb files. Whenever you open a Microsoft Access file (directly, or through AutoCAD) a file of the same name as the Access file, but with the extension .ldb, is created. From what I understand, this is used to avoid multiple users making conflicting edits to the Access file while they have it open simultaneously. These .ldb files are supposed to be automatically deleted whenever the associated Access file is closed, but that doesn't seem to be happening for me when I close AutoCAD.

Although, manually deleting them doesn't fix my issue, so that doesn't seem to get us much closer to a solution.

Re: Database Access Error- You cannot access the catalog database

Anonymous — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 15:21:13 GMT

Hello Everyone,

While investigating this issue in a different program I came across this thread. It seems that Microsoft had pushed a bugged security update to Access Databases. They are investigating this and also have a page here that you may find useful. We found on our system here that uninstalling these updates may help solve your problem. I hope this may be helpful to some of you. Figured I would leave this here in case this is the same issue you are all experiencing.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/access-error-could-not-use-path-to-database-accdb-file-already-in-use-6cbc1560-62c2-46e7-9980-d079a46f5acc

Re: Database Access Error- You cannot access the catalog database

testsubject — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 16:37:00 GMT

I had "Security Update for Microsoft Office 2016 (KB5001979) 64-Bit Edition" automatically installed this morning.

Anyone else see this?

EDIT:

I dug further and discovered that I also had KB5002099 installed. After uninstalling it, the problem went away.

Re: Database Access Error- You cannot access the catalog database

akegb817 — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 20:12:11 GMT

@testsubject, @Anonymous - Do either of you have Microsoft Access through Office 365? We're having a difficult time trying to figure out where to look to uninstall the security update, and I'm suspecting it's because we have Office 365. For instance, when I go into the control panel to uninstall an update, this is all I see:

I'm hoping Microsoft is able to fix their update soon.

Re: Database Access Error- You cannot access the catalog database

testsubject — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 20:36:06 GMT

I am using Office 2016.

Re: Database Access Error- You cannot access the catalog database

dshood — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 21:38:30 GMT

My exact problem....!

Needs to be fixed soon...!!!

Re: Database Access Error- You cannot access the catalog database

Anonymous — Mon, 20 Dec 2021 11:21:48 GMT

It seems odd Microsoft has marked it as 'Fixed' when it appears the only versions with an update currently are 365 apps. We are on 2019 so can't uninstall just the KB patch and no new version available. Only options seem to be wait it out or try to roll Office back to a previous build somehow.

Re: Database Access Error- You cannot access the catalog database

tcoxNRJEY — Wed, 22 Dec 2021 14:21:22 GMT

We just had the same thing happen at my office, running ACE 2022.

Ended up removing all office products (and leftovers from earlier versions), and re-installing Office 365.

Everything is back to normal.

Re: Database Access Error- You cannot access the catalog database

akegb817 — Wed, 22 Dec 2021 17:00:10 GMT

@Anonymous - Interestingly enough, although Microsoft is labelling it as "Fixed" for Office 365, we're still having the same issue even after installing their update. I've reached out to Microsoft support on this, but as of now we have still been unable to resolve the issue.

@tcoxNRJEY - I didn't want to have to go through un-installing and re-installing office, but I'm tempted to do it now after reading what you said. Just to clarify, when you open up Access and go to "Account" is your version the same as what I have below?

Re: Database Access Error- You cannot access the catalog database

tcoxNRJEY — Wed, 22 Dec 2021 19:42:56 GMT

Not sure, what I had is/was already removed.

The tool I used to remove the garbage was from my IT guy;

SetupProd_OffScrub.exe (free download) it worked great

It removed everything.... from 2007 thru today's

Hope this helps

Re: Database Access Error- You cannot access the catalog database

testsubject — Thu, 23 Dec 2021 14:57:16 GMT

I had the same problem again this morning.

Further research came up with this fix:

Databases on network share can't be accessed by multiple users in Office 2016 (KB4484211) (microsoft.com)

After installing this update, I could access the database again without having to uninstall KB5002099 first.

Re: Database Access Error- You cannot access the catalog database

rathmanj — Mon, 03 Jan 2022 18:10:24 GMT

Same for us, the error returned even after uninstalling and blocking security update KB5002099.

We applied MS update fix KB4484211, and database connection was restored.
We have not, as yet, reinstalled the security update KB5002099.

Of interest may be that we are running Microsoft Office 2019, version 1808 (64 Bit), and the update fix did work despite being labeled as for MS Office 2016

Re: Database Access Error- You cannot access the catalog database

whatthefkman012 — Sat, 06 May 2023 06:51:45 GMT

thanks solution very helpful for me

Re: Database Access Error- You cannot access the catalog database

Lino_Lucas — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 00:09:50 GMT

Hello, I had the same problem, and in my case, Windows was blocking access to the folder where the electrical schematics for the components that come by default with AutoCAD Electrical are stored. What did I do? I accessed Windows Security from the Start menu >> Virus & threat protection >> Ransomware protection (at the bottom of the page) >> Manage ransomware protection >> Under "Controlled folder access," click "Allow an app through Controlled page access." >> Click "Add an allowed app." When you click, two menus will open. You can manually select the AutoCAD Electrical app from the option below. However, I recommend using the option above (Recently blocked app). If you've already tried opening the AutoCAD Electrical app, clicking the option above will show you the date and time of the last system block. In my case, the application appeared as "acad.exe." I simply added it to the permissions, and the program worked correctly. That's it. I hope it works for you.