Is splitting necessary for multiple access and ftp?

[jason]

Is it necessary to SPLIT a database if I know there will multiple users
accessing my database?

This is new territory for me as I am also concerned that the Access may get
stuck if I attempt to ftp the database to an online site while their are
other users in the system.

I have seen that if Access is being used there appears a duplicate file in
the folder which indicates the database is open...

How does one deal with these issues?

Thanks
jason

 

[chas]

Hi Jason,

splitting a database is recommended for multiple users.
Ideally you would have a 'central' database that just
contains tables and relationships. Each user would then
have a copy of the front-end database on their machine
that has links to the tables in the back-end database.
This setup can reduce corruption problems that you may
encounter if multiple users are using a single database.

The duplicate file seen in a folder is a 'locking' file
that has a .LDB extension as opposed to a .MDB extension.
It contains information about which users are connected to
a database and what records etc they are working with.
You cannot delete this file as it is an intrinsic part of
the system.

hth

chas

 

[jason]

Thanks - but when you say multiple users does this also assume you need to
set up 'user' access to the database...

And, what if the master database needs to reside on the company local
server. Does splitting the front end and the backend imply moving the
front end to the users own machine....

And when you say front-end do you mean "front-end forms" or actually a
doorway table back to the original table.

This sounds dangerous - as what if I need to make changes to the underlying
database - will this not make the whole thing fall apart...

I am concerned that this is not as simple as it sounds and I may need to get
involved with creating multiple users or ensuring that my database is 110%
perfect before undertaking a split?

Thanks
Jason

 

[Larry Linson]

There's a newsgroup specific to Access in the multiuser environment --
microsoft.public.access.multiuser. It is not as intimidating as it may seem.
Yes, you should split. No, it's not a big problem to keep users up-to-date
with the front-end ... you keep a version number in the front and back ends
and put some code that tells the users they need to download a new front end
(then quit, so they have to do so). If you'd rather take a different
approach, at MVP Tony Toew's site, http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
(best collection of info and links on multiuser around), you'll find an
automatic updater. For an introduction -- topics I thought worth discussing
with my user group -- you'll find a presentation in PowerPoint or Adobe
Acrobat format at http://appdevissues.tripod.com/downloads.htm.

Larry Linson
Microsoft Access MVP

 

[jason]

Many thanks Larry - I'll subscribe to the multi-user group and go check out
Tony's site......

- Jason