Are VB 5 Users Overwhelming Access 97 Database? 1

[drosenkranz]

I'm using VB 5.0 Service Pack 3 and Access 97 to support about 40 users on a system. Sometimes users get error locking messages that indicate their update failed because their record is in use by another user when that other user is no longer even using the system.

Sometimes the offending user is just browsing is in a different table but they're reported as locking the record the user is trying to update in their table anyway.

This is not a record locking problem- I'm almost positive its an Access-Jet related problem with high traffic periods. When users log off, I can still see their computer names appearing in the .ldb file long after they've packed up, logged out, and gone home.

The only thing I noticed was I failed to close the workspace and the database before the "End" statement terminating the program. Would this affect the Database on the server in any way?

Any ideas or suggestions?

 

[MichaelRed]

From my experience, 40 users cannot create enough traffic to cause an Ms. Access database any significant problem. I have had a "Call Center" operating on Ms. Access 97 with up to ~70 users on-line simultaneously and only occassionally (once per month?) had a record-locking problem.

Next. My experience with the LDB file is that Ms. Access is not very 'tidy' in her house keeping here. The only time you can absoloutly believe the LDB file represents the list of currrent users - is when it doesn't exist or it can be deleted by the file system. Otherwise, it may retain the 'entry' for a user - but just set the locking info to indicate NO records locked by the user. You are FAR better off using the security information (MDW) to determine who is connected. This is somewhat more effort than the LDB file - but FAR more reliable.

Next. Again. Failure to close the workspace should not be a problem. However, I have never really delved into the details of W^5+H (Who/What/When/Where/Why & How) Ms. Access 'releases' the user connection to the MDB file when the USER just 'disappears'. I know 'she' does it - I just don't know any of hte details.

One possibility which is within my experience is that some user(s) will have multiple instances of a program/database open. Each instance may have different records locked, however the USER only recognises the single instance - where they DO NOT have the record (of interest) locked.

Sorry for the negative help aspect of your problem, but thats all that I have.

MichaelRed
mred@duvallgroup.com
There is never time to do it right but there is always time to do it over

 

[listener22]

... it's always a good idea to close the workspace and the database
explicitly, whether or not that helps your current locking problem.


Jim

oracle, vb, some javascript