Multiple Backend MDBs

[Bill Cunningham]

I have an application in Access that gets it primary data from a backend
database. "appbe.mdb". This backend resides on a server in the client's
office.

One feature of the app is the ability to "check out" records from the server
backend and place them in another backend that resides on the user's local
drive with the front end database. Checking out the records works swell.
BUT, when the laptop is taken into the field and the server is not connected
the app crashes on startup because the server backend is not found.

Is there a way to allow the app at start up to ignore this warning? Can I
allow the user to select the server backend or the local backend at startup?

Please help.

 

[Damian S]

Hi Bill,

Have you considered using Replication to handle this for you?

Damian.

 

[Bill Cunningham]

I'm don't understand everything I need to about replication, but the design
calls for the ability to query a specific project to check out records and
work in the field. I'll look into replication. Is there any way to keep the
front end from crashing is the linked tables are not found?

 

[Bill Cunningham]

What if I set up a seperate front end for remote use and linked it to a
remote backend which I could populate with the query and check out process?

I think I would have to disable the ability to add records since the main
table is autonumbered and the related tables are linked with a recno field
which matches.

It looks like replication will solve this problem because the autonumber
fields are changed to random.

What do you think?

 

[Damian S]

Hi Bill,

Replication is definitely the way to go for any time you have users that
require access to the system on a notebook PC away from your network. The
Notebook users have a copy of the system locally and a copy of the replicated
data locally, and they never connect to the network version. The trick is to
put a button on the main form that says "Synchronise Now" or similar that
fires off the replication, and get your staff to do that every time they open
the system when they are connected to the network.

If you have users on the network who do NOT require access to the system
remotely, then have them using a standard version of the system with linked
tables to the networked back end - no need for them to synchronise then.

Replication isn't as scary as you may think - make a test copy and give it a
try!!

Damian.