Access Front end that can work offline??

[sparkbyte]

I need to create a MS Sql front end application and would like to use Access because it is what I am most familiar with. but, I need it to be able to work with data Offline. is this possible? How would I go about setting it up??

Thanks
John

Thanks

John Fuhrman

 

[Andrzejek]

Define: "work with data Offline".
Is that going to be just SELECT statements against the data base? In which case you may just copy relevant data locally before you go 'off line'.

Or are you going to have some UPDATE, INSERT, and DELETE actions?

Have fun.

---- Andy

A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. On my desk, I have a work station.

 

[sparkbyte]

Regretfully, All the above.

But for the most part it will be used to store new data and when the primary back-end becomes available use the new rows to perform several select statements to run a QC process.


There is also another pre-existing application that I would like to add this capability to. The second with be more difficult. It has one primary Call Tracking table,a Customer contact table, and a lookup table.
Tacking and the Contact tables are constantly being updated and added to. The lookup table is fairly static, it might change 3 or 4 times in a year.

Thanks

Thanks

John Fuhrman

 

[kray4660]

I know years ago there was a 'feature' where you could sync up a local database to a master database. Of course it meant having all the data available on the local copy. Do not remember what the 'feature' was called or if it is still supported.

 

[dhookom]

The years ago feature was "replication" and it was used for Access data tables. If you want to manage merging of data from offline files/tables you should at a minimum add a column to every table with the "last update" date/time. You must also make sure you have primary/unique keys on all tables that might need updating.

Duane
Hook'D on Access
MS Access MVP

 

[sparkbyte]

This is a general response to the running conversation.

I am familiar with the old 'Replication' feature, but to my knowledge this was supported only by using local Access DBs. This is not what I am looking for because I have an Enterprise Microsoft SQL Server that the databases will be on and Access will be using linked tables connected to the SQL server.

This is what I was thinking. The primary databases would reside on the production SQL server and the workstations would have a local installation of SQL Express. The configure SQL express to 'sync' with the production server when it is available. The thought was that this way MS Access would always be using the local SQL Express tables and have SQL Express update production tables.

Granted this is just in the prelim stages and I am looking for some thoughts on how some of you have accomplished similar projects.

Thanks!!!
John Fuhrman



Thanks

John Fuhrman

 

[dhookom]

If you plan on using SQL and SQL Express with replication, you might want to consider posting questions in the SQL Server forum. I'm sure you would find better SQL support there. You can post connection and other Access related questions here.

Duane
Hook'D on Access
MS Access MVP

 

[Andrzejek]

I would also revisit the idea of being “Offline”
I know you are not going to be connected to the ‘main’ data base, but will you be connected to the Internet? If so, maybe this is the time to consider something as a Web application instead? This way you will never be “Offline”


Have fun.

---- Andy

A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. On my desk, I have a work station.