Question How to make a db client-side and server-side

[krazykaigh]

Hi all,

I work at a NON PROFIT with a minimal budget (aren't they all). I am both the paralegal and the network administrator... but fortunately I am experienced in both... paralegaling more than networking, but I took db programming in college, and did networking as a "duty as assigned" in the Army. So, always ready to jump in the deep end...

I am writing a Will Creating DB, basically takes client info and propagates that info into a Word document Will. This db may be simultaneously accessed by at most 4 people at a time. My question is, should I make a client side for accessing the forms and leave the data on our server (windows 2003 standard)?

Or should I just leave the whole thing on the server and let us share-access?

And if I should split form/data, should I use Access or SQL Server (if SQL Server, which version?) this is like programming if then, if then...

Anywho, any comments or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

 

[pbaldy]

You definitely want the former:

http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/splitapp/index.htm

As to what to use for the data, you can use either. It's probably simpler to stay with Access.

 

[krazykaigh]

pbaldy, thanks for the quick response. Now a question I am embarrassed to ask: I see from the link I should use the .mde for front-side and .mdb for backside. How does one create a .mde file as compared to a .mdb file?

And I will plan on staying with Access 2007. (I didn't mention the version earlier)

 

[pbaldy]

Don't be embarrassed; none of us knows everything.

Distributing an mde/accde is common, but I'd call it optional. It gives the user a smaller file, but more importantly one where they can't change the design of forms or reports or view VBA code. In 2007, on the Database Tools tab of the ribbon you'll see "Make MDE" or "Make ACCDE", depending on which format your file is in. That creates a separate file that you give to users. Make sure to keep the mdb/accdb, as it's the only file you can make changes to.

 

[Lightwave]

FYI - the generic term for mde or accde files are run time versions. Many other database environments have similar run time format types.

Microsoft changed the formats of the files between office 2003 and office 2007 and mde s' became accde s'. Much like they changed the file format for other office applications. An mde access 2003 version will work in 2007 but not vica versa (although this would not appear to be an issue for you)

Both splitting an access database and making runtime versions are very quick jobs. Typically 5minutes each. Whatever you do though don't create a runtime version and then delete your mdb copy. You can't edit the code in mde's and quite often can't get the code out again so you lock yourself in. I've accidentally done this before and had to go back to an earlier copy and re-do development back up to the version number because I didn't have a development copy of the run time version..

You live and learn.

I haven't figured out a good reason to make backends runtime yet so I usually just keep the back end mdb / accdb and only use runtimes on the front end but someone might know better than me. There is usually a slight performance improvement when you convert non run time to runtime which is nice.