Database for a daily Schedule

[GLT]

Hi,
I am using Access 2003.

I need to create a Database that keeps track of events that happen during
the day and night.

Events can either be Active or Completed.
Events will start at certain times.

I want to try and create three views on one screen:
1) The last few events that have completed
2) Any Events that are active
3) The next few events that are about to start

My question is:
How do I develop the database to check the time and the schedule (i.e. the
schedule will consist of the Databse) every 30 Seconds to see if an event has
started?

Will this cause dramatic overhead to the PC that Access is running on?
Does anyone know of anything else out there - i.e. has this been attempted
before?

Thanks,
GLT.

 

[Kevin]

To create more than one view on one form, create your base form then create
sub forms that display the data you desire.

To return the last few records, use the TopValues property in an SQL query.
Check help for more details on how to do that or post back here for help. I
am not an SQL expert but there are many here who are and someone will help
with enough detail on what the table deisgn is, etc.

To check the database every 30 seconds, just create an ontimer event in an
open form. Set the timer interval to 30,000.

As far as the amount of overhead it will depend on how large your database
is and what it is doing. If all you do is check for events that have started
(or presumably completed), you should not see much overhead hit. If the
database is large or there is a lot that the database is doing through VBA at
any given point in time then you may see a perfromance hit, but it should not
be due to checking for events that have started.

I hope that helps!

Kevin

 

[rolaaus]

Is there some reason you want to automate the update-query process rather
than allowing the use of a 'refresh' button on the form? Is this db
multi-user? That will help determine how much overhead there is - if it is
multi-user, how many ppl will be running this refresh function, rather than
solely inputing new tasks and/or marking tasks as completed.

 

[GLT]

Hi rolaaus,

thanks for your reply.

this database will be monitoring events on one big screen so that several
people working in the area can view events completed, up and comming events
and events that are in progress.

it will only be one or two people running this - the idea being that this
auto schedule will tells us when something needs to be done. To do that, the
queries need to be updated automatically.