Client / Server SetUp with Access - MDB or ADP ?

[Sreedhar]

I am new to Access and recently developed a decent-looking MDB file. In my
office, my colleagues are impressed with it and want to use/share it. Hence,
I want to convert it into a client / server application. I heard that ADP is
right format for such things.
Please suggest the options available to me. If ADP has advantages over MDB
files in a client/server setup, I wouldn't mind going that extra mile. At
this point, I would like to make a really professional looking solution that
all our colleagues can reliably use.

 

[Tim Ferguson]

I am new to Access and recently developed a decent-looking MDB file.
In my office, my colleagues are impressed with it and want to
use/share it. Hence, I want to convert it into a client / server
application. I heard that ADP is right format for such things.

I'm not sure that many people here would agree with ADP.

If you are working across a reliable LAN there is a good way of sharing a
mdb database:

Take one copy of the existing database and delete all the forms,
reports, macros, modules and querydefs; leaving only the tables. Put this
copy on a shared drive/ directory to which all the users have read-write-
create access.

Take another copy of the existing database and remove all the tables,
but leave intact all the user interface elements. In place of the tables,
create Linked Tables (use Data Import | Link) but make sure to use UNC
naming (e.g. //ServerShare/Databases/MyBackEnd.mdb) rather than a drive
letter (w:\databases\mybackend.mdb). Place a copy of this front end
database on each of the user's harddisks and that is the one that they
use. The idea is to share the data (back end) but not to share the forms
and reports.

If you are using a WAN or if your network is not reliable, then it's
better to use another way of sharing altogether -- for example a
scriptable web server etc. Access is sensitive to network noise and is
liable to corrupt the data file when packets get lost, etc. Script lots
of regular backups.

Hope that helps


Tim F

 

[Robin]

Or open the existing database and use the database splitter wizard
(Tools>>Database Utilities>>Database Splitter).

 

[Sreedhar]

That means ADP is not the way to go here. Many thanks.

 

[Tim Ferguson]

That means ADP is not the way to go here. Many thanks.

ADPs are designed to work with SQL Server as the server... if you have that
(and remember that SQL Server Express and MSDE are both free) then you have
much more and better options.

B Wishes


Tim F