Could not use 'Y:/folder/file.mdb'; file already in use

[M Skabialka]

I have three databases that were converted from Access 98 to Access 2000.
Both the FE and BE are on the server. There are only three people who use
these, one uses mainly A and occasionally B or C, one uses mainly B and
occasionally A or C, and the other person seldom uses any of them.



Two of the databases can be opened by two people at once.

The other gives this message:



Could not use 'Y:/folder/file.mdb'; file already in use when the second
person tries to open it.



I know you shouldn't have people open the file on the server, but these
people don't do well copying a new one to their machines, and they request
changes fairly often. We have backups, and haven't suffered corruption in 7
years of doing this.



So, why might two Access 2000 databases allow two people to open them, and
not the other?



Thanks,

Mich

 

[Douglas J. Steele]

First, your applications should be split into a front-end (containing the
queries, forms, reports, macros and modules) linked to a back-end. Only the
back-end should be on the server: each user should have a copy of the
front-end on his/her hard drive. Tony Toews has good information about
splitting at http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/splitapp/index.htm and also has
a free utility you can use to ensure each user has the most recent version
of the front-end at http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/autofe.htm

Now, each user must have Change permission (Read, Write, eXecute and Delete)
for the folder where the MDB exists on the server. This is because the first
user to open the database writes a locking file (.LDB) to that folder,
subsequent users update it, and the last user out deletes it. (This is true
even for split applications)

 

[M Skabialka]

Because of the personnel involved I am not putting a copy on their
machines - 'nuff said! The nature of our work requires constant
modifications to reports based on customer input - every customer wants a
different report! We keep the customer happy, but I don't want to have to
go to each PC and interrupt the users' work to put a new copy on their PC
whenever there's a change. I keep a development copy and replace the live
copy on the server when they all go home.

The databases all reside in the same folder, all are split fe/be with the
data in another folder so they don't open it accidentally.

In other words, the databases all have the same permissions, location, etc,
but one acts differently, locking out subsequent users.

Is there some code I can add when it opens to allow others to open it? What
might be different here? The dB in question was originally Acc98, and one
person can open it at a time, the second was originally Acc98 and can be
opened by all at once, and the third one was originally Acc95 and all can
open it at once.

Mich

 

[Douglas J. Steele]

There's no code that needs to be used to enable sharing. Does the sequence
of users matter? If User A opens it, there's a problem, but if User B opens
it, there isn't?

I understand your reluctance regarding giving each user their own copy of
the database, but you need to recognize that you're setting yourself up for
corruption problems. The Auto FE utility from Tony Toews is seamless: each
time your users go to open the database, they automatically get the correct
version.

BTW, there never was an Acc98: it went from Acc97 to Acc2000.

 

[M Skabialka]

Sorry, it was Acc 97 on Win 98!
I will look into the Auto FE utility from Tony Toews while I am trying to
figure this out.

Meanwhile he users can open any database in any order, unless someone else
has that particular database open, then they can't open it.

Mich