Question about using Access over Terminal Server

[Sonny]

Hi group,
Our company is using an Access database that is located on a network server.
The database is not split and it is an .mde. Each user has a shortcut on
their desktop to open the database. The database is used by many employees
and has been in use now for several years. As a result of changes in
business practices, we have some remote users who have a need to use this
database -- so we have set up Terminal Server on our Windows Server 2003.
When we attempt to open the database application, we most times get an error
that says:

"The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another
process."

When we get the error, the database does not even open. However, we have
tried to open it at times when there are no other users in the database.
If no other users are currently in the database, we appear to be able to
open it normally. If there is even one user in the database, we get the
error and it does not open.
The database options are set to open as shared and record locking is set to
none.

I'd appreciate any input or advice anyone may have!!
Thanks!

 

[Mark A. Sam]

Dear Sonny,

I don't have any idea about the error, but I have a client who uses terminal
services for his out of state office to logon and use Access .mde files. The
difference is that each user has a copy on his/her desktop. In fact when the
user logs on a login script copies a new version of the db onto each user's
(local or remote) desktop. This works great and allows me to update the db
without all users having to shut down access. If they need an update, they
simply log off and on to Windows. I don't know why your company wants the
users to share the copy from the network, but this may be a solution for you
to suggest. I always prefer a user having a local copy as opposed to sharing
a local copy because it avoids a mess of problems. Also splitting the DB and
putting the data into a separate directory makes updating easier. The folder
with the data can be protected from unauthorized user access and still be
accessible by the frontend db.

God Bless,

Mark A. Sam

 

[Sonny]

Mark,
Thanks for the reply. To answer your question, all users share the network
copy because it is information that many users need. This application
collects each users daily time card entries, then managers approve those
timecard entries, and and from there people in Payroll take the info and
input it into ADP. So there are about 50 people who are going in and out of
the app during the course of the day. Each user having a "copy" of their own
on their pc is not an option. For this to work, everyone has to share the
same database.
I appreciate the response anyway.