Global Variables and Terminal Services

[Bob Darlington]

I have an Access XP app running over TS with Windows 2000 Server.
There are 5 sites (each with 3 or 4 users) accessing the data file, and each
has its own front end mde on the server. The mde's open exclusively.

When a user at site 'A' prints a report or opens a form, it is called using
something like:
DoCmd.Openreport rptname, , , "PropNum = " & gblPropNum
Where the PropNum is a unique ID (byte) for the property for which that site
has access, and gblPropNum is a global variable (byte) which is set once for
each site when the app is opened.

An intermittent problem (twice in 3 months) is occurring where data from a
second site finds its way into a report or a form for the first site.

Is it possible that the global variable could be the cause?
Has anyone else seen anything similar?

--
Bob Darlington
Brisbane

[Saintor]

Personnally, I don't use global variables anymore Too unstable anyway. I
suggest that you use an hidden form with controls used as the variable.
"Bob Darlington" <bo*@dpcmanAX.com.au> wrote in message
news:40***********************@news.optusnet.com.a u...

I have an Access XP app running over TS with Windows 2000 Server.
There are 5 sites (each with 3 or 4 users) accessing the data file, and each has its own front end mde on the server. The mde's open exclusively.

When a user at site 'A' prints a report or opens a form, it is called using something like:
DoCmd.Openreport rptname, , , "PropNum = " & gblPropNum
Where the PropNum is a unique ID (byte) for the property for which that site has access, and gblPropNum is a global variable (byte) which is set once for each site when the app is opened.

An intermittent problem (twice in 3 months) is occurring where data from a
second site finds its way into a report or a form for the first site.

Is it possible that the global variable could be the cause?
Has anyone else seen anything similar?

--
Bob Darlington
Brisbane

[Bob Darlington]

In what context do you mean 'unstable'?
I've been using them, albiet in a limited way, for many years and not found
any instability.
My problem now is within the TS environment.
Are you saying that the stability changes when used in TS?

--
Bob Darlington
Brisbane
"Saintor" <sa******@REMOVETHIShotmail.com> wrote in message
news:uh********************@weber.videotron.net...

Personnally, I don't use global variables anymore Too unstable anyway. I suggest that you use an hidden form with controls used as the variable.
"Bob Darlington" <bo*@dpcmanAX.com.au> wrote in message
news:40***********************@news.optusnet.com.a u...

I have an Access XP app running over TS with Windows 2000 Server.
There are 5 sites (each with 3 or 4 users) accessing the data file, and

each

has its own front end mde on the server. The mde's open exclusively.

When a user at site 'A' prints a report or opens a form, it is called

using

something like:
DoCmd.Openreport rptname, , , "PropNum = " & gblPropNum
Where the PropNum is a unique ID (byte) for the property for which that

site

has access, and gblPropNum is a global variable (byte) which is set once

for

each site when the app is opened.

An intermittent problem (twice in 3 months) is occurring where data from a second site finds its way into a report or a form for the first site.

Is it possible that the global variable could be the cause?
Has anyone else seen anything similar?

--
Bob Darlington
Brisbane

[Rick Brandt]

"Bob Darlington" <bo*@dpcmanAX.com.au> wrote in message
news:40***********************@news.optusnet.com.a u...

In what context do you mean 'unstable'?
I've been using them, albiet in a limited way, for many years and not found any instability.
My problem now is within the TS environment.
Are you saying that the stability changes when used in TS?

The only "instability" that I'm aware of is that an unhandled runtime error
can cause global variables to lose their setting. This doesn't happen in
an MDE though.

I agree with you as I have used them for years with no issues. Most of
mine are set and then used within a short time interval. I might be a
little more worried using a global variable that needs to retain its value
for the entire session, but again, I've never encountered any problems.
--
I don't check the Email account attached
to this message. Send instead to...
RBrandt at Hunter dot com

[James Fortune]

"Bob Darlington" <bo*@dpcmanAX.com.au> wrote in message news:<40***********************@news.optusnet.com. au>...

In what context do you mean 'unstable'?
I've been using them, albiet in a limited way, for many years and not found
any instability.
My problem now is within the TS environment.
Are you saying that the stability changes when used in TS?

--
Bob Darlington
Brisbane
"Saintor" <sa******@REMOVETHIShotmail.com> wrote in message
news:uh********************@weber.videotron.net...

Personnally, I don't use global variables anymore Too unstable anyway.

I

suggest that you use an hidden form with controls used as the variable.
"Bob Darlington" <bo*@dpcmanAX.com.au> wrote in message
news:40***********************@news.optusnet.com.a u...

I have an Access XP app running over TS with Windows 2000 Server.
There are 5 sites (each with 3 or 4 users) accessing the data file, and each has its own front end mde on the server. The mde's open exclusively.

When a user at site 'A' prints a report or opens a form, it is called using something like:
DoCmd.Openreport rptname, , , "PropNum = " & gblPropNum
Where the PropNum is a unique ID (byte) for the property for which that site has access, and gblPropNum is a global variable (byte) which is set once for each site when the app is opened.

An intermittent problem (twice in 3 months) is occurring where data from a second site finds its way into a report or a form for the first site.

Is it possible that the global variable could be the cause?
Has anyone else seen anything similar?

--
Bob Darlington
Brisbane

I think I remember reading recently in this NG about global variables,
such as strings, losing their values when a run-time error gets caught
by the 'On Error' mechanism. I have seen other situations where the
global value just gets lost mysteriously. You probably don't rely on
On Error as much as he does so you don't detect any 'instability.'
Also, whenever if I use a global string I try to keep the time between
setting it and using it to a minimum.

James A. Fortune

[Bob Darlington]

Rick and James,
Thanks for the input.
As you say, as long as all procedures have error handlers, there shouldn't
be a problem with globals.
But I guess my question should be:
"Does anything change when used within a TS session?"

--
Bob Darlington
Brisbane
"Bob Darlington" <bo*@dpcmanAX.com.au> wrote in message
news:40***********************@news.optusnet.com.a u...

In what context do you mean 'unstable'?
I've been using them, albiet in a limited way, for many years and not found any instability.
My problem now is within the TS environment.
Are you saying that the stability changes when used in TS?

--
Bob Darlington
Brisbane
"Saintor" <sa******@REMOVETHIShotmail.com> wrote in message
news:uh********************@weber.videotron.net...

Personnally, I don't use global variables anymore Too unstable anyway.

I

suggest that you use an hidden form with controls used as the variable.
"Bob Darlington" <bo*@dpcmanAX.com.au> wrote in message
news:40***********************@news.optusnet.com.a u...

I have an Access XP app running over TS with Windows 2000 Server.
There are 5 sites (each with 3 or 4 users) accessing the data file,

and each

has its own front end mde on the server. The mde's open exclusively.

When a user at site 'A' prints a report or opens a form, it is called using

something like:
DoCmd.Openreport rptname, , , "PropNum = " & gblPropNum
Where the PropNum is a unique ID (byte) for the property for which

that site

has access, and gblPropNum is a global variable (byte) which is set

once for

each site when the app is opened.

An intermittent problem (twice in 3 months) is occurring where data

from a second site finds its way into a report or a form for the first site.

Is it possible that the global variable could be the cause?
Has anyone else seen anything similar?

--
Bob Darlington
Brisbane

[James Fortune]

"Bob Darlington" <bo*@dpcmanAX.com.au> wrote in message news:<40***********************@news.optusnet.com. au>...

Rick and James,
Thanks for the input.
As you say, as long as all procedures have error handlers, there shouldn't
be a problem with globals.
Let me clarify. The run-time error that you don't see because it's
caught by the error handler causes problems with global variables --
sometimes.
But I guess my question should be:
"Does anything change when used within a TS session?"

I don't know if anything changes within a TS session. My guess is
that the problem will happen just as often because the changes that TS
brings is largely moving more of the responsibility to the server side
rather than waving a magic wand that heals Access' problems.

James A. Fortune