What are my choices?

[InDeSkize]

I'm in the middle of building a database in access 2002 for a client
of mine. I just wanted to know what my choices were to make this
database accessable from multiple clients at once.

His network is a windows 2000 domain with about 8 workstations that
will use this database.

I read about an MDE file, but I when i tried to make it froze up my
system.

What are my choices?

[WindAndWaves]

The first and most important this is to split the front-end and the back-end
of the database:

Simplefied Concept:
back-end (BE) = tables, design does not change
front-end (FE) = everything else (code, forms, queries, etc...), design is
updated whenever you want it

BE should be stored on the server
FE should be stored on each personal computer

There is a wizard in access to split the database

Reason for this is to
a. minimise network traffic
b. allow more people to work faster on the same database
c. allow you to develop new FEs while people are still working

You can then make an MDE of the FRONT END if you want to, but this is really
not necesary unless
a. you do not want people to know how you made it
b. you do not want people to accidentally change, for example, a form
c. speed is a real issue (MDEs run slightly faster)

More questions???? Please ask.
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[Salad]

WindAndWaves wrote:

The first and most important this is to split the front-end and the back-end
of the database:

Simplefied Concept:
back-end (BE) = tables, design does not change
front-end (FE) = everything else (code, forms, queries, etc...), design is
updated whenever you want it

BE should be stored on the server
FE should be stored on each personal computer

There is a wizard in access to split the database

Reason for this is to
a. minimise network traffic
b. allow more people to work faster on the same database
c. allow you to develop new FEs while people are still working

You can then make an MDE of the FRONT END if you want to, but this is really
not necesary unless
a. you do not want people to know how you made it
b. you do not want people to accidentally change, for example, a form
c. speed is a real issue (MDEs run slightly faster)

More questions???? Please ask.

Adding to your response, every now and then you need to distribute front
end updates because you've added new reports and forms. Here is a link
for code when distributing the updates that's really quite slick.
http://www.fabalou.com/Access/Access...h_access_4.asp

[Larry Linson]

"InDeSkize" wrote

I just wanted to know what my choices
were to make this database accessable
from multiple clients at once.

There's an introductory presentation on Access in a Multiuser Environment
that I did for my user group that you can download from
http://appdevissues.tripod.com. It will identify topics that I thought
worthwhile to discuss, and a bit more. The best collection of detailed
information and links on the subject of Access in the multiuser environment
is at MVP Tony Toews' site, http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm.

At "news.microsoft.com" (a free news server), there is a newsgroup,
"microsoft.public.access.multiuser" devoted just to multiuser (that is, MDB
and Jet database engine) environments.

As an alternative, you can use Access to create a client application for a
server database. There is even a free, desktop version (with some
limitations) of MS SQL Server that comes with Access. It is my observation
that developing such an application takes a bit more time and effort than
developing multiuser. There are advantages however, in scalability,
reliability, and recoverability.

Larry Linson
Microsoft Access MVP

[InDeSkize]

Thanks for your help everyone.

I split the database with no problems. Everything seems to be running
fast. The problem that I'm still having, and I don't know if anyone
else has seen this before, is that when I click on Make MDE File,
access stops responding and nothing happens. One time I let it go
over night, nothing. Where I told it to put the MDE file comes up a
db1.mde file. I open it and after a series of "file not found"
messages I get my first switchboard with no buttons.

I've tried this on 3 different machines, 2 different versions of
Office (XP and 2003). So it's definately my database that doesn't
want to convert.

Anyone seen this before?

[WindAndWaves]

is it necessary to make an MDE?

I would compact and repair the database and close it before making the MDE.
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Please immediately let us know (by phone or return email) if (a) this email
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(b) you are not the intended recipient
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none of the above are applicable. THANK YOU
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Version: 6.0.693 / Virus Database: 454 - Release Date: 31/05/2004

[InDeSkize]

"WindAndWaves" <ac****@ngaru.com> wrote:

is it necessary to make an MDE?

Other than click happy clients, no it's not necessary. But access is
trying to tell me something is wrong in my database. Repair and
Compact doesn't help. I have a whole bunch of VBA code in it, I was
thinking there might be something wrong in there to make it freeze.
If it don't get it figured out, the client will never know, it will
act fine for them, and I will have job security when Joe User plays
with the forms and puts smiley faces in my VBA code.

Thanks though. Anyone else seen this?