Splitting Database Question

[Earl Anderson]

I have a A97/XP applet I've developed for my own use in my department. My
boss "suggests" that since I built it, I share it with and instruct the
other 6 members of my department on its use. I've read many pieces on using
the 'Database Splitter' Wizard, however I'm still unsure of what exactly
will be the end result and what would remain for me to do afterwards. Being
somewhat hesitant (aka Chicken) to do it without knowing all the results or
possible consequences/errors, I'd like to ask this panel the main question I
have regarding splitting the database. Who, what or how does the "FE" get
onto the other 6 client machines? Is there something in the "Wizard" that
asks what workstations get the "FE", or do I have to go to each of the 6 to
manually load the entire applet and 'split' it on each computer or once I
split it from my machine, would the other 6 associates open my mdb file in
the shared directory and it will then have my machine's split 'FE' to
include the link to the BE. If not, how, after the other 6 people have the
"FE", do they link to the "BE"?

We do have a 2-person IT Dept, but I know their forte is 'networks', not in
the intricacies of each particular MS Office application. Your help in
providing me some understanding of how this all works is greatly
appreciated.

TIA...
Earl Anderson

[Lyle Fairfield]

"Earl Anderson" <is*****@rcn.com> wrote in
news:bo**********@bob.news.rcn.net:

I have a A97/XP applet I've developed for my own use in my department.
My boss "suggests" that since I built it, I share it with and instruct
the other 6 members of my department on its use. I've read many pieces
on using the 'Database Splitter' Wizard, however I'm still unsure of
what exactly will be the end result and what would remain for me to do
afterwards. Being somewhat hesitant (aka Chicken) to do it without
knowing all the results or possible consequences/errors, I'd like to ask
this panel the main question I have regarding splitting the database.
Who, what or how does the "FE" get onto the other 6 client machines? Is
there something in the "Wizard" that asks what workstations get the
"FE", or do I have to go to each of the 6 to manually load the entire
applet and 'split' it on each computer or once I split it from my
machine, would the other 6 associates open my mdb file in the shared
directory and it will then have my machine's split 'FE' to include the
link to the BE. If not, how, after the other 6 people have the "FE", do
they link to the "BE"?

We do have a 2-person IT Dept, but I know their forte is 'networks', not
in the intricacies of each particular MS Office application. Your help
in providing me some understanding of how this all works is greatly
appreciated.

TIA...
Earl Anderson

Eevryone has a front end. Assuming it's been efficiently designed, it
should be small enough that you can put it into some public diectory on
the server. Each user then should be able to copy it to his or her work
station from there. Or you can send it to them by email. If everyone has
MS Office there is nothing to installation; copy the file to the directory
wanted and open it.

The (common) backend should reside on the server. If you put the back end
on the server and then establish the links from your front end to it (the
backend) and, then, copy the front end to the server from which each user
will copy it, accurate links to that back end should already exist in each
of those frontends.

One assumes that those networking specialists will back up that backend
each night, or whatever. Depending on its design, it may need regular
compacting.

You might wish to show you boss the opinion of someone who has quite a bit
of experience with databases and offices:

The boss who casually allocates the design and operation of an important
component of a business such as a database to someone who works in another
capacity and happens to have an interest in messing with Access (that is,
not a professional developer) deserves what he or she gets, and this can
often be firing or bankruptcy. Stupidity often masquerades as frugality; it
ain't.

--
Lyle
(for e-mail refer to http://ffdba.com/contacts.htm)

[Allen Browne]

Hi Earl.

Splitting is so simple that I personally don't bother with the wizard.

To make the back end file, create a new (blank) A97 database (since you have
some A97 machines). Import all the tables that go into the back end: File |
Get External | Import.

Then make the front end file, by creating a new (blank) A97 database. Import
all the other objects (qeuries, forms, ...) and any static/temp tables that
you want in the front end. Then link the attached tables from the back end:
File | Get External | Link.

Once you have checked everything, convert the A97 front end into A2002 for
the users that need that version.

For installation purposes, the ideal architecture is to copy the front end
onto the workstation's local disk, and run it from there. You can do that by
visiting each machine, or if you have the necessary permissions to do that
over the network. Alternatively, you can copy the front end into each user's
workspace on the server so they can run it from there. While this approach
may be easier to manage, it is slower to run and increases the network
traffic.

The major difference to address with a split app is verifying that the data
is present. Typcially you open a recordset when the app starts to check the
data is there.

--
Allen Browne - Microsoft MVP. Perth, Western Australia.
Tips for Access users - http://allenbrowne.com/tips.html
Reply to group, rather than allenbrowne at mvps dot org.

"Earl Anderson" <is*****@rcn.com> wrote in message
news:bo**********@bob.news.rcn.net...

I have a A97/XP applet I've developed for my own use in my department. My
boss "suggests" that since I built it, I share it with and instruct the
other 6 members of my department on its use. I've read many pieces on using the 'Database Splitter' Wizard, however I'm still unsure of what exactly
will be the end result and what would remain for me to do afterwards. Being somewhat hesitant (aka Chicken) to do it without knowing all the results or possible consequences/errors, I'd like to ask this panel the main question I have regarding splitting the database. Who, what or how does the "FE" get
onto the other 6 client machines? Is there something in the "Wizard" that
asks what workstations get the "FE", or do I have to go to each of the 6 to manually load the entire applet and 'split' it on each computer or once I
split it from my machine, would the other 6 associates open my mdb file in
the shared directory and it will then have my machine's split 'FE' to
include the link to the BE. If not, how, after the other 6 people have the "FE", do they link to the "BE"?

We do have a 2-person IT Dept, but I know their forte is 'networks', not in the intricacies of each particular MS Office application. Your help in
providing me some understanding of how this all works is greatly
appreciated.

TIA...
Earl Anderson

[Tim Mills-Groninger]

"Lyle Fairfield" <Mi************@Invalid.Com> wrote in message
news:Xn*******************@130.133.1.4...

"Earl Anderson" <is*****@rcn.com> wrote in
news:bo**********@bob.news.rcn.net:

I have a A97/XP applet I've developed for my own use in my department.
My boss "suggests" that since I built it, I share it with and instruct
the other 6 members of my department on its use. I've read many pieces
on using the 'Database Splitter' Wizard,...

.... You might wish to show you boss the opinion of someone who has quite a bit
of experience with databases and offices:

Good thing Allen replied, eh? <big grin>

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Tim Mills-Groninger

[Earl Anderson]

Lyle,

I thank you and Allen for your prompt and comprehensive responses which
answered my question Also, you are correct about me not being a
"professional developer", yet my new boss has asked and entrusted me to use
my applet in order to have the others he supervises to get rid of the
hodgepodge of Excel spreadsheets they currently use and to standardize on
the A97 mdb I have been using for the past three years. It's a security
case management system which provides a much more effective way of getting
him the information he uses to input into his monthly reports and
contemporaneous briefings. I built it 3 years ago (with the help of you and
others here) and it has functioned perfectly since that time. I've also
noticed that many other departments in our and many other companies rely on
Excel when Access could do a much better job of information management;
however, the learning curve on Access is steeper than Excel, therefore
'everyone' uses a spreadsheet for expediency's sake. I believe that my boss
and other management types feel that if they can 'get away with' Excel which
all their people can use, why spend the money for Access training and even
more, a professional developer. Of course, this depends on the complexity
of the task, but most internal information compilation and sharing can be
and is done with Excel. I just happen to believe and know I can be more
productive with Access and my boss realizes that too. Thanks for your
input.

Earl Anderson
"Lyle Fairfield" <Mi************@Invalid.Com> wrote in message
news:Xn*******************@130.133.1.4...

"Earl Anderson" <is*****@rcn.com> wrote in
news:bo**********@bob.news.rcn.net:

I have a A97/XP applet I've developed for my own use in my department.
My boss "suggests" that since I built it, I share it with and instruct
the other 6 members of my department on its use. I've read many pieces
on using the 'Database Splitter' Wizard, however I'm still unsure of
what exactly will be the end result and what would remain for me to do
afterwards. Being somewhat hesitant (aka Chicken) to do it without
knowing all the results or possible consequences/errors, I'd like to ask
this panel the main question I have regarding splitting the database.
Who, what or how does the "FE" get onto the other 6 client machines? Is
there something in the "Wizard" that asks what workstations get the
"FE", or do I have to go to each of the 6 to manually load the entire
applet and 'split' it on each computer or once I split it from my
machine, would the other 6 associates open my mdb file in the shared
directory and it will then have my machine's split 'FE' to include the
link to the BE. If not, how, after the other 6 people have the "FE", do
they link to the "BE"?

We do have a 2-person IT Dept, but I know their forte is 'networks', not
in the intricacies of each particular MS Office application. Your help
in providing me some understanding of how this all works is greatly
appreciated.

TIA...
Earl Anderson
Eevryone has a front end. Assuming it's been efficiently designed, it
should be small enough that you can put it into some public diectory on
the server. Each user then should be able to copy it to his or her work
station from there. Or you can send it to them by email. If everyone has
MS Office there is nothing to installation; copy the file to the directory
wanted and open it.

The (common) backend should reside on the server. If you put the back end
on the server and then establish the links from your front end to it (the
backend) and, then, copy the front end to the server from which each user
will copy it, accurate links to that back end should already exist in each
of those frontends.

One assumes that those networking specialists will back up that backend
each night, or whatever. Depending on its design, it may need regular
compacting.

You might wish to show you boss the opinion of someone who has quite a bit
of experience with databases and offices:

The boss who casually allocates the design and operation of an important
component of a business such as a database to someone who works in another
capacity and happens to have an interest in messing with Access (that is,
not a professional developer) deserves what he or she gets, and this can
often be firing or bankruptcy. Stupidity often masquerades as frugality;

it ain't.

--
Lyle
(for e-mail refer to http://ffdba.com/contacts.htm)

[rkc]

"Earl Anderson" <is*****@rcn.com> wrote in message
news:bo**********@bob.news.rcn.net...

I just happen to believe and know I can be more
productive with Access and my boss realizes that too. Thanks for your
input.

Rock on, Earl.

You're using Access exactly the way in was intended to be used.

[Tom Wickerath]

So, Lyle, please explain how someone can become a professional developer, if they
shouldn't be trying in the first place because they don't have this credential. Did you
just hang a sign over your door one afternoon that proclaimed yourself as a professional
developer? Of course not. You started as an armature just like everyone else. You made
mistakes along the way, and hopefully learned from them.

Remember, one must learn to crawl before they can learn to walk, and they must learn to
walk before they can learn to run.

_____________________________________________

"Lyle Fairfield" <Mi************@Invalid.Com> wrote in message
news:Xn*******************@130.133.1.4...

<snip>

You might wish to show you boss the opinion of someone who has quite a bit
of experience with databases and offices:

The boss who casually allocates the design and operation of an important
component of a business such as a database to someone who works in another
capacity and happens to have an interest in messing with Access (that is,
not a professional developer) deserves what he or she gets, and this can
often be firing or bankruptcy. Stupidity often masquerades as frugality; it
ain't.