BE/FE vs Stand alone work (1 Viewer)

[Jura]

Hi all,

I'm planning a new db. It's a kinda straight forward contacts/appointments management system for a small company (10 users)

I've got a MSSQL server running there.

Now here is the crux in my project. I want to have the users use the same data for obvious reasons, but i also want them to be abled to work off-line. (with a laptop away from the office) It would be nice if they have relative new data available.

Also (crux no. 2) it would be even beter that the data could be transferable based on change date of each record. (this is second priority)

Is there a good way to implement this? Or am i raising the bar too high?

Thx, Jura

 

[madrav72]

Hi Jura dont know if this helps but there is a way to export one access database into another. ive worked on a access application whereby field agent data had to be sent back to be imported into a master database so to speak i think this would be your best bet. so your master config might be fe/be and your remote laptop users would be of a standalone config. not sure if this is right but its my 2 pennies worth.

 

[Jura]

Madrav72,

Thx for your reply. What you say sounds about right. Can you give me any more detail on your solution.

What kind of FE for network users (MDB / ADP)
What kind of BE (MSSQL ??)
What kind of local installation (for laptoppers) ? MDB?
I'll have to dive into synchronising db's, any tips on that? Perhaps an url that you know of?

Thx, Jura

 

[Pat Hartman]

If you need to work both on-line and off-line, you should consider replication. You would use an .mdb fe and an .mdb be. Only the be would be replicated. The fe would be totally replaced if any of its objects changed.

The one tricky thing about replication is that autonumbers will be converted to "random" rather than "increment". Random autonumbers can range from very small negative numbers to very large positive numbers so they are not useful as IDs that users would see such as PO numbers, Customer numbers, etc. You will need to generate your own serial numbers for those purposes and the serial numbers will need to be two-part. The first part will be a field that uniquely identifies the replica (each fe will need its own unique ID) and the second part will be a plain serial number. Post back if you need help with serial numbers.