Frontend on Windows PC/backend on a Mac?

I posted a question a couple of days ago about running different versions of
Access for the frontend versus the backend databases. Got some good advice
but now I've received this information:

"We are currently running AppleShare IP 6.3 and this allows machines running
Windows to connect via IP."

So the first choice of server is a Mac. The client is willing to buy a
Windows machine if necessary but would like to use an existing server if
possible. Could anyone advise me please? Could my database function if the
backend was on a Mac/not running Access? (My initial thought is no, that
the file systems would be different).

thx
Linda

re: Frontend on Windows PC/backend on a Mac?

Squirrel wrote:[color=blue]
> I posted a question a couple of days ago about running different versions of
> Access for the frontend versus the backend databases. Got some good advice
> but now I've received this information:
>
> "We are currently running AppleShare IP 6.3 and this allows machines running
> Windows to connect via IP."
>
> So the first choice of server is a Mac. The client is willing to buy a
> Windows machine if necessary but would like to use an existing server if
> possible. Could anyone advise me please? Could my database function if the
> backend was on a Mac/not running Access? (My initial thought is no, that
> the file systems would be different).[/color]

File systems shouldn't bother you. My backend currently is on a unix
machine. That is fine, as long as the file sharing mechanism does its work.

The Mac should support the smb protocol in sharing files. I can't
remember whether it does. Maybe the Apple site can tell you more.

--
Bas Cost Budde
http://www.heuveltop.nl/BasCB

re: Frontend on Windows PC/backend on a Mac?

On Thu, 05 Feb 2004 09:04:22 +0100, Bas Cost Budde <bas@heuveltop.org> wrote:
[color=blue]
>Squirrel wrote:[color=green]
>> I posted a question a couple of days ago about running different versions of
>> Access for the frontend versus the backend databases. Got some good advice
>> but now I've received this information:
>>
>> "We are currently running AppleShare IP 6.3 and this allows machines running
>> Windows to connect via IP."
>>
>> So the first choice of server is a Mac. The client is willing to buy a
>> Windows machine if necessary but would like to use an existing server if
>> possible. Could anyone advise me please? Could my database function if the
>> backend was on a Mac/not running Access? (My initial thought is no, that
>> the file systems would be different).[/color]
>
>File systems shouldn't bother you. My backend currently is on a unix
>machine. That is fine, as long as the file sharing mechanism does its work.
>
>The Mac should support the smb protocol in sharing files. I can't
>remember whether it does. Maybe the Apple site can tell you more.[/color]

Actually, Access has a history of being very picky about its back-end server.
Only the fery best Netware engineers have ever made that work, and until
recently, SAMBA was pretty much a no-go, too. Squirrel is asking about using
AppleShare, and I don't know if that will work well or not, but there's a good
chance it won't. On OS X, you can probably run SAMBA 2.x, and that might even
be what it's doing by already, but I wouldn't be too sure about anything on OS
9.

re: Frontend on Windows PC/backend on a Mac?

On Wed, 4 Feb 2004 16:59:20 -0800 in comp.databases.ms-access,
"Squirrel" <wiseowl@covad.net> wrote:
[color=blue]
>I posted a question a couple of days ago about running different versions of
>Access for the frontend versus the backend databases. Got some good advice
>but now I've received this information:
>
>"We are currently running AppleShare IP 6.3 and this allows machines running
>Windows to connect via IP."
>
>So the first choice of server is a Mac. The client is willing to buy a
>Windows machine if necessary but would like to use an existing server if
>possible. Could anyone advise me please? Could my database function if the
>backend was on a Mac/not running Access? (My initial thought is no, that
>the file systems would be different).[/color]

In theory the filesystem used on the server should not matter as it's
the workstation doing the work, e.g. you can have a MDB file on a
Linux ext2 partition. Your workstation doesn't know the difference as
the server makes it look like a network disk so in theory (that word
again) it should be possible but in practice, you may experience
locking problems, ISTR people here not having much luck with
Linux/Samba.

--
A)bort, R)etry, I)nfluence with large hammer.

re: Frontend on Windows PC/backend on a Mac?

Steve Jorgensen wrote:[color=blue]
> Actually, Access has a history of being very picky about its back-end server.
> Only the fery best Netware engineers have ever made that work, and until
> recently, SAMBA was pretty much a no-go, too. Squirrel is asking about using
> AppleShare, and I don't know if that will work well or not, but there's a good
> chance it won't. On OS X, you can probably run SAMBA 2.x, and that might even
> be what it's doing by already, but I wouldn't be too sure about anything on OS
> 9.[/color]

Are Samba versions for MacOS comparable to unix versions? I have had
Samba 1.9 without complaints from Access (97 that is)

--
Bas Cost Budde
http://www.heuveltop.nl/BasCB

re: Frontend on Windows PC/backend on a Mac?

On Thu, 05 Feb 2004 10:49:40 +0100, Bas Cost Budde <bas@heuveltop.org> wrote:
[color=blue]
>Steve Jorgensen wrote:[color=green]
>> Actually, Access has a history of being very picky about its back-end server.
>> Only the fery best Netware engineers have ever made that work, and until
>> recently, SAMBA was pretty much a no-go, too. Squirrel is asking about using
>> AppleShare, and I don't know if that will work well or not, but there's a good
>> chance it won't. On OS X, you can probably run SAMBA 2.x, and that might even
>> be what it's doing by already, but I wouldn't be too sure about anything on OS
>> 9.[/color]
>
>Are Samba versions for MacOS comparable to unix versions? I have had
>Samba 1.9 without complaints from Access (97 that is)[/color]

You made that work? Multi-user? I was told that that pretty much didn't
work, but 2.x worked well.

I don't know anything for sure about what SAMBA options are or aren't
available for OS X, I was just assuming SAMBA 2.0 should be able to run pretty
much unchanged because it works identically on many other different 'NIXes,
and OS X is based around a pretty standard BSD kernel. I wouldn't be
surprised if the OS X files haring for Windows is already SAMBA under the
hood.

re: Frontend on Windows PC/backend on a Mac?

Steve Jorgensen wrote:
[color=blue][color=green]
>>Are Samba versions for MacOS comparable to unix versions? I have had
>>Samba 1.9 without complaints from Access (97 that is)[/color]
>
> You made that work? Multi-user? I was told that that pretty much didn't
> work, but 2.x worked well.[/color]

To be honest, I never tried to break it. I had only two users for the
application then ;-)
[color=blue]
> files haring for Windows[/color]

Uh? oh, fil esharing. I see. <G>

--
Bas Cost Budde
http://www.heuveltop.nl/BasCB

re: Frontend on Windows PC/backend on a Mac?

Steve, Bas, Trevor,

Thank you very much for your advice. I will try installing the backend on
their Mac and will be pleasantly surprised if it works. :-) These are
non-technical people and I need to leave them with a system which is easily
understood and maintained. Thank you so much for your help.

Linda

"Trevor Best" <bouncer@localhost> wrote in message
news:p1v320pp8dfedc1h687nn3eiflem32na87@4ax.com...[color=blue]
> On Wed, 4 Feb 2004 16:59:20 -0800 in comp.databases.ms-access,
> "Squirrel" <wiseowl@covad.net> wrote:
>[color=green]
> >I posted a question a couple of days ago about running different versions[/color][/color]
of[color=blue][color=green]
> >Access for the frontend versus the backend databases. Got some good[/color][/color]
advice[color=blue][color=green]
> >but now I've received this information:
> >
> >"We are currently running AppleShare IP 6.3 and this allows machines[/color][/color]
running[color=blue][color=green]
> >Windows to connect via IP."
> >
> >So the first choice of server is a Mac. The client is willing to buy a
> >Windows machine if necessary but would like to use an existing server if
> >possible. Could anyone advise me please? Could my database function if[/color][/color]
the[color=blue][color=green]
> >backend was on a Mac/not running Access? (My initial thought is no, that
> >the file systems would be different).[/color]
>
> In theory the filesystem used on the server should not matter as it's
> the workstation doing the work, e.g. you can have a MDB file on a
> Linux ext2 partition. Your workstation doesn't know the difference as
> the server makes it look like a network disk so in theory (that word
> again) it should be possible but in practice, you may experience
> locking problems, ISTR people here not having much luck with
> Linux/Samba.
>
> --
> A)bort, R)etry, I)nfluence with large hammer.[/color]

re: Frontend on Windows PC/backend on a Mac?

Steve Jorgensen <nospam@nospam.nospam> wrote:
[color=blue][color=green]
>>Are Samba versions for MacOS comparable to unix versions? I have had
>>Samba 1.9 without complaints from Access (97 that is)[/color]
>
>You made that work? Multi-user? I was told that that pretty much didn't
>work, but 2.x worked well.[/color]

Ah, thanks both for your comments. I'll add them to the Corruptions FAQ Causes Samba
page.

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm

re: Frontend on Windows PC/backend on a Mac?

On Thu, 05 Feb 2004 23:36:24 GMT, Tony Toews <ttoews@telusplanet.net> wrote:
[color=blue]
>Steve Jorgensen <nospam@nospam.nospam> wrote:
>[color=green][color=darkred]
>>>Are Samba versions for MacOS comparable to unix versions? I have had
>>>Samba 1.9 without complaints from Access (97 that is)[/color]
>>
>>You made that work? Multi-user? I was told that that pretty much didn't
>>work, but 2.x worked well.[/color]
>
>Ah, thanks both for your comments. I'll add them to the Corruptions FAQ Causes Samba
>page.[/color]

Well, sure, but given my level of certainty, you should probably file it as
"rumor" until you hear it from a more direct source.

re: Frontend on Windows PC/backend on a Mac?

Steve Jorgensen <nospam@nospam.nospam> wrote:
[color=blue]
>Well, sure, but given my level of certainty, you should probably file it as
>"rumor" until you hear it from a more direct source.[/color]

"There have been newsgroup comments indicating 1.9 and 2.x work. As always your
mileage may vary."

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm