Access 2003 Monolithic save

[bobti]

Hi,

I'm about to upgrade a network from Office 97 to Office 2003.

I understand that unlike access 97 no editing of forms can take place if the database is open by more than one person.

How can I setup the access 2003 database so that people can update forms whilst others are viewing/adjusting the data?

So far I have just converted a test database to access 2000 file format. It contains tables, forms, reports, queries etc.

Many thanks

Bob

 

[straybullet]

Having local copies of the frontend portion of a split database on each user's machine (tables in the backend portion and queries, forms, reports, etc in the frontend portion) will allow the editing of forms (as well as other objects in the FE) locally. This allows the person responsible for maintenance to "tweak" the database without having to kick all the users out.

There are many posts (and quite a few FAQs) which will help you choose your method of keeping the local FE copies up to date.

Let them hate - so long as they fear... Lucius Accius

 

[bobti]

Thanks for the reply.

You couldn't point me in the direction of one of those FAQ for keeping the local FE copies up to date? I can find lots on splitting but none on the above!

Thanks

 

[straybullet]

A quick search brought up these:

faq181-5559
faq705-5629

Im sure there are more available

Let them hate - so long as they fear... Lucius Accius

 

[bobti]

Thanks for those.

One thing I can’t work out is if two people want to changes forms at the same time.

Say user A and user B both have the front end on there PCs and they are both changing / adding forms.

How do they then merge the changes into the production database?

If they just did a straight copy and paste of the file to replace the production database, one user would wipe out the other users changes.

Thanks

 

[Ed2020]

You're not really going to allow *users* to make design changes to the database, are you?!

If more than one developer is working on changing the same database then it is their responsibility to ensure they do not overwrite each others changes.

I believe Visual SourceSafe can be used with MS Access, but from what I remember it doesn't achieve very much as Access applications do not tend to be made up of multiple source code files...

Ed Metcalfe.

Please do not feed the trolls.....

 

[bobti]

I wouldn't call them developers!

More like two Office workers that need to add new forms to the database!

 

[straybullet]

Ed2020,

I was thinking the same - but had hoped that what bobti was referring to by "editing" in the OP was data... that's why I mentioned the person responsible for maintenance.


Bobti,

Ed2020 is correct - there is a high chance of losing changes when there are multiple people making design changes to a database. Standard practice would either limit the ability/responsibility for making changes either to an individual, or a stringent documentation process needs to be in place to prevent loss of previous design changes. A properly designed setup should have no reason for users to make design changes.

Im sure that many around here would agree when I suggest you rethink this.

Let them hate - so long as they fear... Lucius Accius