Ensure User Launches from Local Front End

[JohnC]

RE: Access 2003

My application has been split and the front end runs on client PCs with the
back end on a LAN file server. Also I have an updater routine that copies
an updated client from the LAN file server to the client PCs when needed. I
keep the client front end on the LAN server for distribution purposes. The
problem is that occasionally, user's get confused and go to the LAN file
server and run the application from the front end file that is on the LAN
server. I want them to use their client front end on their PC. I plan to
add code to check for this (see below). Is there a better way to do this?

John
Sub ClientLocal()
On Error GoTo Err_ClientLocal

' Quits if the user launches the application from a LAN file.
' Should launch from a client on users PC.

Dim strDrive As String
Dim strMessage As String
Dim strTitle As String

strDrive = Left(CurrentDb.name, 1)

strTitle = "Login Error"
strMessage = "It appears that you have launched the application from a
LAN file location."
strMessage = strMessage & "Please consult your system administrator.
Application terminating."

If strDrive "D" Then
MsgBox strMessage, vbCritical, strTitle
Quit
End If

Exit_ClientLocal:
Exit Sub

Err_ClientLocal:
MsgBox Err.Description
Resume Exit_ClientLocal

End Sub

[Gord]

On Apr 7, 4:28 pm, "JohnC" <[e-mail]:

RE: Access 2003

My application has been split and the front end runs on client PCs with the
back end on a LAN file server. Also I have an updater routine that copies
an updated client from the LAN file server to the client PCs when needed. I
keep the client front end on the LAN server for distribution purposes. The
problem is that occasionally, user's get confused and go to the LAN file
server and run the application from the front end file that is on the LAN
server. I want them to use their client front end on their PC. I plan to
add code to check for this (see below). Is there a better way to do this?

John

Sub ClientLocal()
On Error GoTo Err_ClientLocal

' Quits if the user launches the application from a LAN file.
' Should launch from a client on users PC.

Dim strDrive As String
Dim strMessage As String
Dim strTitle As String

strDrive = Left(CurrentDb.name, 1)

strTitle = "Login Error"
strMessage = "It appears that you have launched the application from a
LAN file location."
strMessage = strMessage & "Please consult your system administrator.
Application terminating."

If strDrive "D" Then
MsgBox strMessage, vbCritical, strTitle
Quit
End If

Exit_ClientLocal:
Exit Sub

Err_ClientLocal:
MsgBox Err.Description
Resume Exit_ClientLocal

End Sub

Hi, John.

If the environment in which you operate is sufficiently homogeneous
that you can be sure that any drive letter above D: will be a mapped
drive to a network share then your approach is fine.

However, if you are in an environment where some workstations may have
local drives above D: because of multiple hard drives, multiple
partitions, SUBST'ed drives etc., then simply checking the drive
letter may not be sufficient. If that is true and if you are able to
use the Windows Script Host Object Model (wshom.ocx) you might try
using the EnumNetworkDrives method of the WshNetwork object, as in:

Sub ShowNetworkDrives()
Dim wshNet As New WshNetwork
Dim NetworkDrives As WshCollection
Dim thing As Variant

Set NetworkDrives = wshNet.EnumNetworkDrives

If NetworkDrives.Count = 0 Then
MsgBox "There are no mapped network drives"
Else
For Each thing In NetworkDrives
MsgBox thing & " is a network drive"
Next
End If

Set NetworkDrives = Nothing
Set wshNet = Nothing
End Sub

[Jeff Smith]

"JohnC" <an*******@news.groups.comwrote in message
news:a1**************************@EVERESTKC.NET...

RE: Access 2003

My application has been split and the front end runs on client PCs with
the back end on a LAN file server. Also I have an updater routine that
copies an updated client from the LAN file server to the client PCs when
needed. I keep the client front end on the LAN server for distribution
purposes. The problem is that occasionally, user's get confused and go to
the LAN file server and run the application from the front end file that
is on the LAN server. I want them to use their client front end on their
PC. I plan to add code to check for this (see below). Is there a
better way to do this?

John
Sub ClientLocal()
On Error GoTo Err_ClientLocal

' Quits if the user launches the application from a LAN file.
' Should launch from a client on users PC.

Dim strDrive As String
Dim strMessage As String
Dim strTitle As String

strDrive = Left(CurrentDb.name, 1)

strTitle = "Login Error"
strMessage = "It appears that you have launched the application from a
LAN file location."
strMessage = strMessage & "Please consult your system administrator.
Application terminating."

If strDrive "D" Then
MsgBox strMessage, vbCritical, strTitle
Quit
End If

Exit_ClientLocal:
Exit Sub

Err_ClientLocal:
MsgBox Err.Description
Resume Exit_ClientLocal

End Sub

Why don't you place a shortcut on their desktop which is linked to the one
on their PC?

[Marshall Barton]

JohnC wrote:

>RE: Access 2003

My application has been split and the front end runs on client PCs with the
back end on a LAN file server. Also I have an updater routine that copies
an updated client from the LAN file server to the client PCs when needed. I
keep the client front end on the LAN server for distribution purposes. The
problem is that occasionally, user's get confused and go to the LAN file
server and run the application from the front end file that is on the LAN
server. I want them to use their client front end on their PC. I plan to
add code to check for this (see below). Is there a better way to do this?

If you place the master FE copy in the same folder as the BE
database, then you can check if the path to the BE and FE
folders are the same. (air code)

Dim strBEpath As String
With CurrentDb()
strBEpath = Mid(db.TableDefs!anylinkedtable.Connect, 11)
strBEpath = Left(strBEpath, InStrRev(strBEpath, "\") - 1)
If strBEpath = CurrentProject.Path Then
MsgBox . . .
Application.Quit acQuitSaveNone
End If
End With

--
Marsh
MVP [MS Access]

[Dennis]

On Apr 7, 6:47 pm, Marshall Barton <[e-mail]:

JohnC wrote:

RE: Access 2003

My application has been split and the front end runs on client PCs with the
back end on a LAN file server. Also I have an updater routine that copies
an updated client from the LAN file server to the client PCs when needed. I
keep the client front end on the LAN server for distribution purposes. The
problem is that occasionally, user's get confused and go to the LAN file
server and run the application from the front end file that is on the LAN
server. I want them to use their client front end on their PC. I plan to
add code to check for this (see below). Is there a better way to do this?

If you place the master FE copy in the same folder as the BE
database, then you can check if the path to the BE and FE
folders are the same. (air code)

Dim strBEpath As String
With CurrentDb()
strBEpath = Mid(db.TableDefs!anylinkedtable.Connect, 11)
strBEpath = Left(strBEpath, InStrRev(strBEpath, "\") - 1)
If strBEpath = CurrentProject.Path Then
MsgBox . . .
Application.Quit acQuitSaveNone
End If
End With

--
Marsh
MVP [MS Access]

I think you can avoid having users use the network copy by making the
folder where it resides "read only". When we began using our
application on the network this was a glitch for us.

[JohnC]

"Dennis" <de***********@gmail.comwrote in message
news:11**********************@o5g2000hsb.googlegro ups.com...

On Apr 7, 6:47 pm, Marshall Barton <[e-mail]:

>JohnC wrote:

>RE: Access 2003

>My application has been split and the front end runs on client PCs with
the
back end on a LAN file server. Also I have an updater routine that
copies
an updated client from the LAN file server to the client PCs when
needed. I
keep the client front end on the LAN server for distribution purposes.
The
problem is that occasionally, user's get confused and go to the LAN file
server and run the application from the front end file that is on the
LAN
server. I want them to use their client front end on their PC. I plan
to
add code to check for this (see below). Is there a better way to do
this?

If you place the master FE copy in the same folder as the BE
database, then you can check if the path to the BE and FE
folders are the same. (air code)

Dim strBEpath As String
With CurrentDb()
strBEpath = Mid(db.TableDefs!anylinkedtable.Connect, 11)
strBEpath = Left(strBEpath, InStrRev(strBEpath, "\") - 1)
If strBEpath = CurrentProject.Path Then
MsgBox . . .
Application.Quit acQuitSaveNone
End If
End With

--
Marsh
MVP [MS Access]

I think you can avoid having users use the network copy by making the
folder where it resides "read only". When we began using our
application on the network this was a glitch for us.

Thanks for all the replies and good suggestions. If I make the folder "read
only" I believe they can still open the FE MDB but only in "read only" as
there will be no .ldb file. Correct?

Can I make the master FE "hidden"? Not by using file attributes because
that is too easy to view hidden files. We are using Windows Server. Does
Windows Server have some way to hide files? I think Novell uses a dollar
sign.

John

[Rick Brandt]

JohnC wrote:

Thanks for all the replies and good suggestions. If I make the
folder "read only" I believe they can still open the FE MDB but only
in "read only" as there will be no .ldb file. Correct?

Can I make the master FE "hidden"? Not by using file attributes
because that is too easy to view hidden files. We are using Windows
Server. Does Windows Server have some way to hide files? I think
Novell uses a dollar sign.

You can make the share hidden (dollar sign).

You can make the file have acompletely different name and have the script that
copies it rename it at the same time.

You can check the folder being run from in your startup code.

--
Rick Brandt, Microsoft Access MVP
Email (as appropriate) to...
RBrandt at Hunter dot com

[Robert Jacobs]

On Apr 7, 6:47 pm, Marshall Barton <[e-mail]:

JohnC wrote:

RE: Access 2003

My application has been split and the front end runs on client PCs with the
back end on a LAN file server. Also I have an updater routine that copies
an updated client from the LAN file server to the client PCs when needed. I
keep the client front end on the LAN server for distribution purposes. The
problem is that occasionally, user's get confused and go to the LAN file
server and run the application from the front end file that is on the LAN
server. I want them to use their client front end on their PC. I plan to
add code to check for this (see below). Is there a better way to do this?

If you place the master FE copy in the same folder as the BE
database, then you can check if the path to the BE and FE
folders are the same. (air code)

Dim strBEpath As String
With CurrentDb()
strBEpath = Mid(db.TableDefs!anylinkedtable.Connect, 11)
strBEpath = Left(strBEpath, InStrRev(strBEpath, "\") - 1)
If strBEpath = CurrentProject.Path Then
MsgBox . . .
Application.Quit acQuitSaveNone
End If
End With

--
Marsh
MVP [MS Access]

Marsh,

Can you help me with my question? Posted within this forum
(comp.databases.ms-access), Subject is Sync subform. Thanks!

[JohnC]

"Marshall Barton" <ma*********@wowway.comwrote in message
news:lv********************************@4ax.com...

JohnC wrote:

>>RE: Access 2003

My application has been split and the front end runs on client PCs with
the
back end on a LAN file server. Also I have an updater routine that copies
an updated client from the LAN file server to the client PCs when needed.
I
keep the client front end on the LAN server for distribution purposes. The
problem is that occasionally, user's get confused and go to the LAN file
server and run the application from the front end file that is on the LAN
server. I want them to use their client front end on their PC. I plan
to
add code to check for this (see below). Is there a better way to do
this?

If you place the master FE copy in the same folder as the BE
database, then you can check if the path to the BE and FE
folders are the same. (air code)

Dim strBEpath As String
With CurrentDb()
strBEpath = Mid(db.TableDefs!anylinkedtable.Connect, 11)
strBEpath = Left(strBEpath, InStrRev(strBEpath, "\") - 1)
If strBEpath = CurrentProject.Path Then
MsgBox . . .
Application.Quit acQuitSaveNone
End If
End With

--
Marsh
MVP [MS Access]

Perfect! Very elegant. Thank you Marshall.

John