A real nightmare of a .mdb!

[gmlwong]

Hey gang!

Being new to your forum, let me just start by saying, "Happy New Year!" and "Gong-Ha-Fa-Choy!"...that's Happy Chinese New Year - 4701!

Now, for my 'Nightmare on Elmstreet' special!?#?$?! - I have a database project that I am now in charge of and everytime I think I can progress to the next logical level, something rears it's ugly head...

At the most basic level, this database stores consumer contract data with the end result being the generation of various respective accounting reports for admin. and consumer contract tracking...one of the major problems is that I am now discovering great numbers of corrupt record data that adversly affects any underlying query, form, or report.

I am in the late processes of developing a closely related but seperate database that needs to be able to rely on this troubled database's records...see, I told ya this was one for the books!

I can continue developing my new database and the only thing I can think of for the existing problem database is to START OVER!
I ran the Analyzer on every object and EVERY object has a suggested fix and about 30% of all objects have the red exclamation message, strongly recommending a change.

I'm happy to supply a sample database next week so let me know what you think so far.

 

[gmlwong]

Answered my own question...

After studying the tables more closely and having confirmed at least a 40% total data corruption rate through report generations and communications with key personnel, I've recommended to my client that we simply start over!

Still, if anyone has any ideas about how to create a widespread lookup engine that searches various linked databases for specific data, please let me know:

<User enters the last six digits of a vehicle's VIN# and this engine needs to search various linked databases (so far, four) with the hopes of locating such a record.

<Another dept. enters an ID# to begin a claim on a vehicle and this engine needs to be able to search all linked databases and locate the record; if not found, a new claim (record) would be created.

<Still another dept. needs to search all records based on Customer's Last Name, so the search engine needs to accept both alpha and numeric characters.

Any ideas, most grateful!

 

[Vassago]

The data that has been corrupted...how is it corrupted. Are fields missing that can easily be replaced with a set value. Maybe creating an update query could accomplish this. If it's something that is different for each individual record, then maybe it would be best to start over. Let me know what you end up doing.

Vassago

 

[gmlwong]

Thanks Ripper!

Unfortunately, the data entry that was done was very poor and...thousands of records will now need to be re-entered... a very widespread and critical amount of data was omitted or entered incorrectly...thousands of records...sheesshhh!?!#?!

As the database manager for this project, it was not an easy call for me to make to my manager but what has to be done, has to be done if they want this app to run correctly...that's my job!

Starting over is the only safe way I could see... thanks again!

Dragon4701!

 

[Vassago]

I would try to set up the new database as insanely error proof as you can think. Stop them from making errors by having the forms check every possible error before it submits it to any of your data tables. Good Luck!

Vassago

 

[gmlwong]

Insane is right and I will be in my new development!

Do you have anything I can use to do this? I've never had a project quite like this and never had the need to develop such code.

 

[Vassago]

Depends on what you need to check for, but basically just make it so they have to type what they need to type. If you want, you can show me samples of what you are working on and I can give you some suggestions.

 

[gmlwong]

Sample on its way...

Ripper:

Thanks again...I'm putting together some sample data for you now...

The corrupt data issue is painstaking but is the easier portion of this project. What I'd like to focus on is the new functionality of the database my client requires...I think I've come up with some pretty cool stuff but have never actually completed such a project.

Your advice and suggestions are welcome. I can WINzip my switchboard form that would make it easier for you to see what I'd like this project to feature in the final stage...private email?... Let me know.