Backup and User Questions

[Paul DeWitt]

I have an Access 2000 database that will have about 5
users using it. I have a couple of questions related to
multi-user usage.

1) I have the primary user backing up the database to a
CD-ROM using EZ-CD Creator. I was concerned that if other
users were in the database, the backup script would skip
the file (open file). Is this a problem in Access?

2) If it is, is there a way to retrieve a list of users
who have the database open (using VB)? I would like to
have a button display a list of active users. I could do
this by saving the user name upon entry of the database
and displaying them later but if Access does this for me I
would use Access for the list.

3) Compacting the Database. Is there a method in VB, etc
to compact the database every so often? How often should
a database be compacted? Possibly, when each user exits
the application, could I check the user list and compact
the database if no other users are in the database.

Thanks

 

[John Vinson]

I have an Access 2000 database that will have about 5
users using it. I have a couple of questions related to
multi-user usage.

1) I have the primary user backing up the database to a
CD-ROM using EZ-CD Creator. I was concerned that if other
users were in the database, the backup script would skip
the file (open file). Is this a problem in Access?

Yes. It may not let the file backup at all, or worse - it may back up
a file in an intermediate state which would be corrupt if you tried to
open it. The backup should be done when there is nobody in the
database.

2) If it is, is there a way to retrieve a list of users
who have the database open (using VB)? I would like to
have a button display a list of active users. I could do
this by saving the user name upon entry of the database
and displaying them later but if Access does this for me I
would use Access for the list.

You'll need some code to do this. Access keeps track of who has the
database open in a .ldb file with the same name as the .mdb file - if
you check the directory where your database resides, you'll see this
file created when Access is opened, and deleted when the last user
exits. See http://www.mvps.org/access/modules/mdl0055.htm for code to
view the list of users in the file.

3) Compacting the Database. Is there a method in VB, etc
to compact the database every so often? How often should
a database be compacted? Possibly, when each user exits
the application, could I check the user list and compact
the database if no other users are in the database.

A2000 has a "Compact On Close" option in the Options; it's never given
me any problems.