Tracking and Displaying LastUpdated Value?

[rokuk]

Hi there.

I currently have a switchboard automatically opening with some data and options whenever I open my Access 2003 DB. I would like to add a value on it that displays the last date that file has been modified (automatically, not by someone needing to go in and edit the timestamp manually each time). Ideally, this could detect and track changes to the VBA modules too, but I could live with just changes to the main table of data.

I've read advice to do the latter with something like: " CurrentDb.TableDefs("MyTableName").LastUpdated" which I assume I can throw in the switchboard's VBA to spit out.

Somewhere else suggested adding a new field to the DB table just to track when it had been last modified. That doesn't seem like excellent DB design advice to me - and since I believe Access stores this data somewhere -anyway- I don't see much need for doing it again and messing with my table structure.


Does anyone have any advice on how best to do this? Again, I don't need to know the last time it was opened, all I _really_ need is the last time my main table was modified (a record added/deleted/updated). However, being able to track the last time a VBA module was modified would be an added bonus, too!

Thank you for any and all suggestions!!!

 

[neileg]

Somewhere else suggested adding a new field to the DB table just to track when it had been last modified. That doesn't seem like excellent DB design advice to me - and since I believe Access stores this data somewhere -anyway- I don't see much need for doing it again and messing with my table structure.

Access doesn't timestamp the amendments (unlike heavier weight databases). Providing you only allow data access via a form, it's pretty easy to add a timestamp.

However, being able to track the last time a VBA module was modified would be an added bonus, too

You're letting users alter VBA? Seems risky to me.
I imaging modules will appear in the system tables and may weel be timestamped but I've never needed to do this.

 

[rokuk]

Well, here's the thing. I am the primary DBA, but there are two other people who modify things also from time to time. Our main user base has requested this timestamp to pop up whenever they open to DB, so I am just trying to do it from there.

The main user base only accesses the DB through forms, but the three of us modify things generally through running SQL queries and developing VBA on the backend.

You mentioned it should be pretty easy. How would you suggest doing it? Would that need me to add a field to the table to track the last change made (because I'd rather not carry an extra field just to do that, unless I really really have to!)?


Thanks!

 

[neileg]

Rather than reinvent the wheel, do a search in these forums for audit trail. Some good reading.