Synchronization does not work?

[Darren G]

Hi,

I have been updating a relativley simple database to log enquiries at work.
There is a design master on the server and a replica on each users desktop. I
have tried to add a synch. command button to a form using various codes found
on disscussion groups like this and none seem to work. If I go into the
replica, make changes push sync , nothing appears on other users pc's without
going into the design master and pushing synch, therefore other users cant
see the changes without going into the design master first, not sure if that
makes sense? Does the design master always have to be open?

Also, because there are so many different copies of various databases from
over the years, found in the selection box when clicking
tools>replication>synchronize now, i have now copied all tables and forms etc
into a new database and linked everything together and made a new replica on
my pc from the master copy on the server. Now when i click
tools>replication>synchronize now and synch the replica with master the
changes are not saved. This also happens when i input data into the design
master - nothing saves?

I would split the database into front end / back end but many users work
offline and i wouldn't know how to set such a system up if anybody can help.

I know i'm asking a lot but any help would be much appreciated as this is
driving me crazy and i've no idea what i've done?!

 

[David W. Fenton]

I have been updating a relativley simple database to log enquiries
at work. There is a design master on the server and a replica on
each users desktop.

The DM should *not* be used for regular editing of synching. It is a
a special replica that should be protected from the dangers of
regular use and squirreled away somewhere safe, and synched with the
rest of the replica set only when you are pushing out design changes
to the tables (only tables should be replicated, not
forms/reports/etc.) or occasionally just to make sure the DM doesn't
expire (the default retention period is 1000 days, so it doesn't
have to be done very often!).

If you are using your DM as your hub for synchronizing or for
editing, you should replace it with a new replica. The best way to
do this is to create a new replica in the location where you want
your DM to be kept, then synch with that and transfer DM status to
the new replica (there's a checkbox for this in the synchronize
dialog).

If you have Replication Manager, you can use the Move Replica
command to move the DM (or if you have the TSI Synchronizer, it
exposes the Move Replica command; JRO, unfortunately, fails to
expose this crucial command, and that's one of the reasons I
consider JRO to be mostly useless).

I
have tried to add a synch. command button to a form using various
codes found on disscussion groups like this and none seem to work.
If I go into the replica, make changes push sync , nothing appears
on other users pc's without going into the design master and
pushing synch, therefore other users cant see the changes without
going into the design master first, not sure if that makes sense?
Does the design master always have to be open?

What are you synching with? The DM? Of *course* the other users
won't see the changes you've just sent to the DM if they haven't
themselves synched with the DM. Consider:

Replica A synchs with DM.

Now, Replica A and DM are identical.

Replica B doesn't know anything about this until it synchs with
either the DM or with Replica A.

Also, because there are so many different copies of various
databases from over the years, found in the selection box when
clicking tools>replication>synchronize now, i have now copied all
tables and forms etc into a new database and linked everything
together and made a new replica on my pc from the master copy on
the server. Now when i click tools>replication>synchronize now and
synch the replica with master the changes are not saved. This also
happens when i input data into the design master - nothing saves?

If you created a new replica, it's no longer part of the old replica
set and won't be able to synch with any of the old replicas.

Secondly, you *MUST* split the database into front end
(queries/forms/reports/etc.) and back end (data tables only)
because, first of all, there is no need for replication of Access
objects (forms/reports/etc.) but more importantly, because Jet
Replication simply does not work reliably over the long run for
anything but pure Jet objects (tables/queries).

I would split the database into front end / back end but many
users work offline and i wouldn't know how to set such a system up
if anybody can help.

There are two issues:

1. distributing changes to the front end.

2. changing the links to work on different machines.

The second is the easiest to solve -- simply put the back end
replica in the same folder as the front end, and have the front end
relink to the back end in the same folder.

The first is relatively easy, as well. There are various levels of
automation that can be implemented. Search the Google Groups archive
for this newsgroup and comp.databases.ms-access and you'll find
many, many articles explaining how easy this is.

It's not optional with replication -- it's a requirement.

I know i'm asking a lot but any help would be much appreciated as
this is driving me crazy and i've no idea what i've done?!

Reading between the lines, it sounds to me as though you have major
problems with some fundamental lack of knowledge about how
replication works. I'm glad to help you learn more, but a more
appropriate place for this discussion is the newsgroup
microsoft.public.access.replication.

 

[Darren G]

Thanks for your help David I know nothing about access I've had to teach
myself it over the last few weeks when i've got a spare minute. I will work