Compare Front Ends

[JimS]

So, when I do development (largely maintenance) on my front end, I make a
sandbox, do the work in the sandbox, test it, then transfer the objects I
edited back to the original FEdb. I've been know to make mistakes keeping
track of which objects to move.

Has anyone (other than Luke and FMS) created a "compare objects in a
database" program to identify, mark, and transfer revised objects (queries,
forms, reports, classes, modules....)?

I know VSS is available, but for me it would be dificult because my target
and development environment are on my client's (closed) system. It also
costsl money...

A2007..

Jim

 

[Jack Leach]

Do you have any particular worry about deploying a brand new FE rather than
importing the updated objects? Personally I prefer this approach just
because you're not "patching" together an app. It seems as though importing
objects might be dangerous and might easily lead to some corruption issues if
not handled very carefully.

That said, Tony (among a few others, but I use his) has an AutoFE Updater
program that works excellent. Store the active version of the FE (and any
files that go with it) on the server, and his startup app will copy over any
nonexistent or more recently updated files to the users FE location. This
happens every time they start the app and works seamlessly. Not to mention
that deploying the app is easy. Just copy the new FE over the old one in the
server folder and you're done.

http://www.autofeupdater.com/


--
Jack Leach
www.tristatemachine.com

"I haven''t failed, I''ve found ten thousand ways that don''t work."
-Thomas Edison (1847-1931)

 

[JimS]

Jack, sorry I'm tardy responding...

I am using Tony's AutoFE...Thank you, Tony!

The issue is that I might have a couple three sandboxes working at once.
Each sandbox is associated with a particular subproject or problem I'm
investigating. I might also fix a small issue quick like a bunny and put it
in production, obsoleting the particular form, query, or module I fixed
within all the extant sandboxes.

I wish I could afford VSS or something like it. Thought maybe there was a
free or cheap one around that tracks just the objects within the FE.

I learned, for example, that when you turn on automatic name tracking, it
sets EVERY object's last update date to now(). Nice. I usually move
everything I've been working on into production every Friday or so. I can use
the modified date to identify those I've worked on, but not this
time...aaaaarrrrrrgggghhhhh!

 

[Tony Toews [MVP]]

That said, Tony (among a few others, but I use his) has an AutoFE Updater
program that works excellent.

I am using Tony's AutoFE...Thank you, Tony!

Thanks for your kind comments.

BTW I've setup a testimonials page at my website and I've include both
of your comments on it.
http://www.autofeupdater.com/pages/testimonials.htm I hope you don't
mind.

Tony

--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Tony's Main MS Access pages - http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
Tony's Microsoft Access Blog - http://msmvps.com/blogs/access/
For a convenient utility to keep your users FEs and other files
updated see http://www.autofeupdater.com/
Granite Fleet Manager http://www.granitefleet.com/