Help, Multi-user Environment?

[GoinDeep]

I work for a large corporation and have been involved in the creation of four recently created Access 2000 Databases.

The databases are used by 40-50 users in two states. All of the databases are linked to servers in one state "backend" with the front ends usually residing on the users PC or the cities local server.

Currently, we simply place the released Access "front end" (5-20MB) on a common drive and via email contact the users to copy the front end on to their PC's or servers.

The problem is this, everytime a new database or new version is released someone tries to open the file from the shared drive usually locking up the file. Preventing others from copying the file.

The other problem is ensuring each user has the latest release of the database's. It seems we are constantly enhancing the new database or find errors which need to be corrected.

Ideally I would like to have the databases update to the latest version each time a user tries to open it. Or have some type of link on our Intranet which would replace any current versions with the latest version.

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[directormac]

Below is a quote from this thread which you will probably find very helpful.

Create a batch file to copy the front end from your server to each users machine. Then enter the command to start the database. Distribute the batch file. This way when someone executes the batch file they always get the appropriate front end in the latest revision level. Below is a sample of my batch file.

This and many other posts can be found by searching the forum archives on phrases like "distribut* AND front AND end"

--Resourceful Mac

 

[GoinDeep]

directormac, thanks for the help! I created a similiar .bat file which worked great in our local city. I tried it on a few computers in other cities and it will not work, I was told it may have something to do with the security/firewall.

Back to the drawing board.

 

[directormac]

Just double checking, the .bat file was installed on the remote computers and was unable to go get the new front end on your host, yes?

You've probably hit the point where you have to start working with the admins of those other systems to get proxy, firewall, and directory permissions set just so. The same thing happened to Rob.Mills in the above ref'd thread.

You might do a forum search, find some threads that seem to be in the ballpark and PM the gurus involved to see if they can assist. Explain that you have exhausted all searches in the forum, on the web, at the MS Knowledge Base, and in printed materials, before brazenly contacting them personally (you have, right?) Most folks on this forum are extremely helpful (and practically all of them are better equipped to answer than me ) and, IMHO, we who receive the benefit of their expertise ought to be respectful...

Anyway, enough netiquette preaching. Hope you solve this thing. I'm rarely helpful, but if there's anything I can do, feel free to send me a PM.

--Useless Mac

 

[The_Doc_Man]

Well, if you can't automate the process of copying the file, you can at least frustrate the livin' heck out of the folks opening the DB from the wrong place.

If you have a startup form, this is TRIVIAL. What you do is, in the startup form's Form_Open event routine, test the location of the database. If they have attempted to open the DB from the shared device, tweak their silly little noses and force the DB to exit.

The location of the database (in VBA) is CurrentDB.Name, which is a string showing the fully qualified file specification of the DB. Since this is a shared drive, you know it WON'T be on their C: drive. So what you can do is just parse out the device from the .Name string. If it is the shared drive, you issue them a message box saying "Don't Do This, Dum-Dum." Then issue a DoCmd.Quit on them.

If they CAN'T open the DB from the shared drive, they will be forced to copy it. And, of course, you can put the front-end file in a directory that is read-only to the shared users so they can't go into it to change that feature.

If you don't have a startup form, consider using one. It is FAR easier to control your users in that context, because you get full control over them BEFORE they can perform any operations in the front end. (You should also look into the methods used for blocking function-key and other techniques to bypass your startup operations.)

 

[GoinDeep]

"Just double checking, the .bat file was installed on the remote computers and was unable to go get the new front end on your host, yes? "

Yes, that is a correct statement. I did meet with some IT folks earlier and they are working on a hotlink thru our Intranet which would allow the users to get the most recent version of the database by simply clicking a button.

The drawback is this method will not notify the user if he/she is using an outdated version. They mentioned something about an MBDE worth lookng into which may have this capability.

 

[GoinDeep]

The_Doc_Man, I like it! I'll try it out.