New database design help please

[Cam]

Hello,

I need to develop a simple database for a computer lab and need
recommendation on the best way to go about it.
I would like to create an Access database for users to sign in and out when
they use the computer in the lab. It will contain the following info: first
name, last name, date, sign in time, sign off time, computer number (1-30).
1) I can make the date as default current date, but can you do the same for
time (when user log in it automatically put in the time)?
2) Should I have one computer delicated for users to log in/out or put this
database on all 30 computers so they can log in/out on each computer before
and after each use?
* If the latter is recommendated, how do I program that so it forces the
user to log in/out in order to get to the desktop screen on each computer?

Thanks for any sugguestion. Will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Tim Ferguson]

You have not given us much to go on, but here are some rough guesses:

1) I can make the date as default current date, but can you do the
same for time (when user log in it automatically put in the time)?

If you are inserting the date into a control using the Date() function,
you can simply change this to Now() and that will give you the exact
moment on the computer clock.

2) Should I have one computer delicated for users to log in/out or put
this database on all 30 computers so they can log in/out on each
computer before and after each use?

Exact details depend on the setup. In general the backend database needs
to be on a server so that everyone can write to it, and it's better to
have a local front end of some kind on each machine's HDD.

* If the latter is recommendated, how do I program that so it forces
the user to log in/out in order to get to the desktop screen on each
computer?

I am not at all sure that an Access front end is necessary. Could you not
build a login script that (a) knows who the user is, (b) knows which
machine it's running on, and (c) knows what time it is? I am absolutely
not a systems programming expert, but that lot should not be too hard,
and after that it's easy to write a record to a jet database without any
user intervention at all.

Hope that helps


Tim F

 

[Cam]

Tim,

Thanks for the tip. I understand the date field, but you have not answer my
question about the time field.
"but can you do the same for time (when user log in it automatically put in
the time)?"

 

[Tim Ferguson]

but you have not answer my
question about the time field.
"but can you do the same for time (when user log in it automatically
put in the time)?"

Yes I did, as much as the OP allowed. I am guessing that you have a
DateTime field in a table, with a control on a Form that has its
DefaultValue set to

= Date()

If you change that formula to

= Now()

it will put the exact DateTime value into the field for you (e.g. #2004-
10-28 18:40:58#). At least, that is the simplest way to do it, and it's
the way I would do it, and I am guessing it's the best way for you to do
it.

If you need more specific help, you'll have to give more details of how
you have set things up already.

B Wishes


Tim F