Problem with e-mailing from Access using ClickYes

[andrey_anikin]

Guys,

I have a DB that users access via Remote Desktop (can't make use of the FE-BE mrchanism due to some network-related things). It works fine on the whole; there is just one thing that makes me unhappy: an issue with sending automated e-mails from the DB when no one is logged on to the DB server. If I'm there (via Remote Desktop), emails triggered by the form timer go out all right (ClickYes also works fine). But when I'm not, the e-mails get accumulated on the sever for some reason, and they are only shot out when I log on to the server again. I get no errors - they just don't get sent waiting for me to come.

Any ideas how that can be fixed? Thanks in advance.

 

[georgedwilkinson]

If Access isn't running, it cannot send out e-mails. The solution is to have an instance always running.

 

[andrey_anikin]

The fact is that I leave Access running when logging off the DB server. As soon as I log on again, I see all the pending e-mail being sent at once - without opening/closing Access.

 

[georgedwilkinson]

So you're saying you have a separate server, not remote desktop, that stays open all the time, presumably on the console, that is always in the server's memory which runs periodically?

Just having a server to store the file that contains your database won't cut it. An instance of the database must be running in order for the processes to run. The moment you log out of most terminal service products I've worked with, it removes your memory space and any programs running in that memory space.

 

[andrey_anikin]

Humm... it is a good question: I don't really know how Windows treats the applications that I started during a Remote Desktop session and didn't close before logging off - I have always thought they continue running on the server... you say they don't?

Any suggestion as to how this can be bypassed? How can I make a DB instance run all the time, no matter if I'm there or not?

 

[georgedwilkinson]

It depends on the remote desktop software you're using. If it's Microsoft or Citrix, the memory space disappears when you log off, along with any programs that are running. Some implementations of VNC, Logmein, and gotomypc leave all the programs running when you log off of the software (not the desktop).

I recommend running the program from the task manager (\windows\tasks) to do routine periodic jobs. This will allow you to supply a user id and password that will run the program regardless of whether you're logged on or not. You might want to re-think your design a little and just use a FE with linked tables that just does the task you want done in the Autoexec macro or startup form.

 

[andrey_anikin]

As I said, for now I don't see any way to use the BE/FE option - the DB is located inside a LAN and some of the users access it from the outside via a VPN, so they can't "see" the DB server and reach the DB - I tried that and it didn't work out (I asked for help here some time ago, but I guess this is something I have to put up with - I can't influence network-related things like this).

Thanks for the advice regarding periodic launch of Access using the task scheduler - I actually played with that a bit but it didn't work then; maybe will have to give it another try.

 

[andrey_anikin]

It depends on the remote desktop software you're using. If it's Microsoft or Citrix, the memory space disappears when you log off, along with any programs that are running.

Just came into my mind: if all programs terminate when I log off (I use the MS Remote Desktop that comes together with Windows XP), how come that when I log on again, I see everything exactly the way it was when I logged off - all windows open, all programs running? Of course, this is not exactly an Access-related question - just wonder if you can enlighten me on that a little bit

 

[georgedwilkinson]

Not sure. I don't really know what setup you have and how it's set up. I'm not what you would call an "expert" on TS anyhow. I just have to deal with it when my application breaks.

But my advice for creating a new front end for just this purpose is still valid. You don't deploy the front end to the users, it is a single purpose Access FE that only you know exists, running only in your space. You let it "wake up", do what it's supposed to do, and exit. Using the windows scheduled tasks, you should be able to do this without impacting any user or user space.

 

[andrey_anikin]

It's a good piece of advise; but I need to get one problem fixed to be able to do that. Now I actually have my DB split into FE and BE runing on the same server (have had this since the times when I tried to connect to the BE remotely over the LAN), and I have the following issue each time I start the DB and the startup form opens: the system gives out an error message saying that I'm trying to exclusively open a DB that is already opened by the user Admin on that machine. Of course it's not open by anyone else... but I don't have any idea how to fix that. If I open the startup form from the Design mode - it goes just fine (actually, this is what I now have to do every time I start the DB).

 

[pbaldy]

I actually use a PC remotely as well, and have a process running that uses ClickYes to send out emails. Programs should run fine when you're not connected. The problem I ran into is that the free version of ClickYes does not run when the PC is locked. I bought the regular version, and my processes run fine now. It was only $30 or something.

 

[georgedwilkinson]

Oh man, I didn't think about that. Adam had the same problem a couple of months ago. When the screen saver/power management comes on, Access goes into an idle state and doesn't run any more until you wake the computer (session) up. The task scheduler will overcome that.

 

[andrey_anikin]

When the screen saver/power management comes on, Access goes into an idle state and doesn't run any more until you wake the computer (session) up.

This seems to be a slightly different issue than the one I currently have. As I said, I have a problem each time I open my FE database - to be more exact, when it tries opening the BE DB in the exclusive mode. Each time I have an error saying that the DB I'm trying to open exclusively is already open on this machine. If I then open the startup form in the Design mode and then switch to the Form mode, it opens the BE Db just fine and works OK until I turn it off... and then the same problem comes again with a new startup of the DB.