Front End?

[AC5FF]

Bob - yes, thanks again for the link .. I have both it and your auto-update documents printed here now for reference.

Mike - just curious - but by "never knew this could be so hard" in reference to my troubles or ??? From what I've read on Bob's link - it "shouldn't" be this hard... And maybe it is just me making it tougher than it should be... I haven't got that all figured out yet.

But, all, correct me if I am wrong; all the intertwined relationships between tables SHOULD be copied over, correct? That is where I seem to be right now. Linking a copy of the MDB file (after deleting all tables) to the BE file is working more as it shoud (this appeared to solve the VB scripts problem as well); but I am still having 'bugs' pop up all over the place! I reallllly wish I could upload a sample; but with all the data, i'm just not sure... What would happen if I uploaded my FE file now - without being able to link to any of the BE tables - would that work for anyone to see into this DB??

For example... One of the most used areas in the DB is logging in and out parts. On that 'form' that is used there are three tabs. First is the date information (received/turn in/ etc..) This all comes from the "WORK" table. Tab 2 is for bits/pieces; which all pulls from a "2413" table (these two tables are linked within a query and main relationships). Tab 3 is basically just a 'notepad' for notes as to what has been accomplished/etc that is stored in the "WORK" table as well.

When I open this form, I can search by document numbers - and that all works great. But every time I get the prompt for missing data - and it appears to always come from the 2413 table. It is like the link between the two are missing.

Ideas on where I could look??

 

[Mike375]

Start again and go to JANR's posting on the first page.

Everything should work as normal with at least one exception. If you have anything that depends on both the name and location of the DB then that needs to be changed IF the FE has a different name and in a different folder.

For example I have several Word docs that contain linked queries and depend on the DB being called Viper and in a folder called ViperResides. The BE must also stay in the folder where it was when the linking was done and retain the same name.

I don't know about A2007 but in A2003 the the linking of the tables (for the FE) should be done before importing the queries.

But apart from the above the FE should work in the same manner as the original DB.

 

[AC5FF]

So I should go into the BE first, link the tables as they should be, then create the front end and link it?

I am pretty sure that there are 'locations' it looks for during certain functions of the DB, but I haven't even gotten that far in testing...

Here's a hypothetical: Can I copy my DB, rename it as my BE than open that file and delete everythign but the tables. Copy the main DB again, rename it as my FE, open and delete all the tables, then link the FE to the BE?

Doing this would ensure; 1) all the relationships remain; and 2) all the VB code remains.

 

[dkinley]

Yes .. in '07 you can do the delete trick and relink them .. I had to do it the other day.

In '07 to link the tables if you started with none in a db, go to the External Data tab. In the 'Get External Data' winder that pops up, choose the second option "Link to the data source by creating a linked table.'

Browse around until you find the db you want to link to and choose it. It will ask you through a click interface to choose the table.

-dK

 

[Mike375]

So I should go into the BE first, link the tables as they should be, then create the front end and link it?

1) Create a blank data base and name it what you want the BE to be named and in the folder you intend to have it. Go to GetExternal and Import all the tables from your original DB. The BE is now made

2) Create another blank DB but do it on one of the computers that is networked and name it what you want to name the FE data base and in the folder where you want it. Go to GetExternal data and Link and link to all the tables in the DB you just created as a BE. Thus you are goinng to link to the new BE that is on the "head office" computer. So when Link brings up a list of DBs you need to bring up what you want via Networl Places.

3) Your BE data base now has all the tables linked. Right click on one of the linked table names and click on the menu Linked Table Manger. That will show you what they are pointing to and confirm you linked to the correct DB. It will show the computer name of the "head office" computer.

4) While still in the new FE go to External Data and Import and import all the forms, queries, macros, modules and reports form your original DB

The newly created FE should now work, with the type of exceptions I mentioned above.

You should also be able to copy the new FE to another computer on your network and will work.

 

[AC5FF]

Mike, I did this pretty much as you described - and NOTHING would work.

1) Create a blank data base and name it what you want the BE to be named and in the folder you intend to have it. Go to GetExternal and Import all the tables from your original DB. The BE is now made

Many of the tables in the original DB have relationships assigned to them. One of the problems I have experienced is due to the new BE not having the tables related to one another as in the original DB.

2) Create another blank DB but do it on one of the computers that is networked and name it what you want to name the FE data base and in the folder where you want it. Go to GetExternal data and Link and link to all the tables in the DB you just created as a BE. Thus you are goinng to link to the new BE that is on the "head office" computer. So when Link brings up a list of DBs you need to bring up what you want via Networl Places.

4) While still in the new FE go to External Data and Import and import all the forms, queries, macros, modules and reports form your original DB

Again, I did this - yet it didn't work. On the FE side I believe it was due to the VB code within the DB. Importing all the forms, queries, macros, modules, and reports did work, but none of the VB code was transferred to the new FE. Without that code NOTHING will work.

This DB has - and I wish i could 'size' it correctly - a TON of VB code in it. It links to XLS files, TXT files, etc all around our network. I can see on a fairly simple to mildly complex DB where this would work, but with the one I am dealing with here??? I am going to work on a way to distribute a 'sample' - if that's at all possible...

Even using copies of the original DB for my FE and BE (deleting respective components than linking tables) it still doesn't work. I just have to wonder if it is even possible in my case!

 

[Mike375]

All my relationships import and also come over with linking

I have piles of VBA that is for Word but all of it is on the same computer. But even then that would only come into play if the Word docs were not there and when the code was run. I am A2003. What I gave you is the same as JANR said on the frst page, I think he was A2003.

The other thing to try is create blank DB and link tables to original and then import queries etc. In fact I often have mine this way, that is, the BE is a full DB. It is not recommended due to corruption although I have never had a problem.

 

[boblarson]

Even using copies of the original DB for my FE and BE (deleting respective components than linking tables) it still doesn't work. I just have to wonder if it is even possible in my case!

You are obviously doing something wrong then because that will work. Do something for us. Upload a single copy of your database (BEFORE it is split) and we'll take a look and split it for you. I'll have you put it into a specific folder on your computer so you won't even need to relink it for your initial testing. Then, you can move it to another location later.

 

[AC5FF]

Bob.. I agree with you
From reading everyone's posts and your links, it SHOULD be this simple.
I believe I am doing something wrong - but - following these directions DO work for creating the FE and BE files. It just fails to operate... I have no doubt it is me or this DB.

I will work on getting the DB uploaded. Gonna be quite a challenge. If I go in and delete all the table data - I don't think that'll give you a working DB (tried that before). Will work on it though because I would really like to get this working right...

 

[theKruser]

I have had my DB split for quite some time. Initially, it was just myself and one other accessing the DB at a time, so when I needed to update the BE I just had my co-worker log out and I would make the changes. Now, I have more people using the DB and this option is much more difficult. I have created a copy of my current FE and BE files so I can have the "test" set, but I cannot for the life of me figure out how to get my test FE to point to the test BE. I have used the Linked Table Manger as referenced above, but all it allows me to do is refresh already established connection to the original BE. How do I get the test FE to point to the test BE?

Thank you for your time and help.

 

[AC5FF]

TheKruser

I'm no expert; and this is just how I would go about 'trying' to do this.
Take your 'test' FE file and delete all the tables. Then just re-link them, but this time to the test BE.

I have lost count how many times I have tried to get my DB split. Nothing EVER worked. However, Monday I went in and thought I'd give it another shot. Much to my shock it appears that everything works! I've not run into anything that doesnt ... The ONLY thing different this time was the directories. In the past attempts I have placed my BE in a seperate network'd folder. This time I left it in the same folder and it worked. I know a lot of the macro's reference that particular folder, but nothing I could find should have prevented it from running period.

Next step is to try to get a MDE to compile...

 

[dkinley]

If it's in the same directory ... it will work everytime. When Access splits them, it sets it in the same directory - thus it knows what path to use for the link.

When you then copy the BE to another directory, it sorta gets lost and you need to relink. I encode the relinking stuff into my databases for deployment purposes so I have a command button I can access should everything not go right.

In '07, the easy way out is to set the DB on the server, then split them, the copy the FE to whereever you want it. I don't know about all networks, but this will work in an MS networking environment - unsure about a Workgroup environment.

-dK

 

[AC5FF]

DK
I moved the DB to a test directory before I split it. I mean, I understand if I move the BE after I link the FE there will be problems.... But that wasn't the case. I seriously think it has something to do with VB in that it is looking for files in a certain network path. Very Wierd..
But the good news is that I did finally get it to work and is stable...