I want to copy my frontend and customize it 1

[CactysJack]

I have a database developed for one user. I would like to copy this (front end), clean the data files and customize a bit for a new user.

This sounds like it should be simple but I get blocked when I try to guess my way through it. And a search didn't find the exact subject.

Shouldn't this be easy?

TIA,

John

 

[FEDSEC]

Go to "Tools" , "Database Utilities" , "Database Splitter"

 

[CactysJack]

Dear Fedsec,

Thanks for the speedy help, can you expand on your suggestion slightly?

I have already split the database so I can gave the user a replica. Now I want to alter the cosmetics of the frontend for another user while keeping the file structure and forms/reports etc.

John

 

[RickSpr]

Can't you just copy the file to a new one, and start making your changes? What's blocking you?

(You need to create a copy of the back end database, too, and then run the Linked Table Manager to point your table links to the copy. Otherwise your experimenting will be updating--or trying to update--the first customer's back end.) Rick Sprague

 

[FEDSEC]

The forms and reports stay with the frontend. You can do anything you want the the frontend ( add queries, forms, reports etc.) without any change the the backend as long as you use the existing tables and fields. If you do need to make field or table changes then you have to go into the backend.

Am I understanding your question?

 

[FEDSEC]

Rick is right. If you move the frontend and backend to a new location you have to use the "Link Table Manager" to refresh the link.

( also it's always a good idea to backup! )

 

[CactysJack]

Dear Rick and Fedsec,

I tried the method of renaming the database and pointing it to a renamed backend but it seemed to still have a link to the old frontend. When I tried to make it a master vs. the replica it was, it seemed to think it still was the old one.

I.e. It warned about having two masters with the same name although I thought I had renamed them OK.

I think renaming a frontend still leaves some ID inside that isn't so easily ignored.

Well then I tried to just create a new named DB by doing a NEW then dragging forms, reports etc from the original. I ran into a problem here with an old problem where I had to rename a field incorrectly named NAME to NAME3 to avoid using the reserved word. Why this was I don't know as I thought I had made the switchover properly (the program seemed generally to run OK). I'll have to revisit that.

At any rate, I proceeded and deleted the old records thinking I was safe with a new named frontend and backend. Well the NAME/NAME3 thing prevented the forms and tables using it to appear so I aborted and reverted to my backups.

But lo and behold, now my backups were screwed up because of the NAME/NAME3 thing. This really surprised me in a serious way.

But luckily I had another backup which was supposed to be identical, this one ran OK.

Now I'm getting gun shy, ACCESS seems to be to be full of rattlesnakes for the novice like me. Also it is opaque with error messages which give absolutely not guidance about where they come from. Eventually I'll probably learn how to debug but I haven't yet.

When my backup was corrupted that really threw me.

Well back to the drawing boards for now. Thanks to both for the help. Seems like this should be simple and easy.

John

 

[RickSpr]

Jack,

It's too bad you didn't mention that it was a replicated database from the beginning. It's true you can't just make copies of a replicated database and expect them to work right. The help file subjects on replication contain warnings to that effect.

I suspect making that initial copy started you down the path to destruction, and the things you've done since are compounding the problem. You're wise to be gunshy, until you learn more about the side effects of your actions. I'll bet some of what's happening to you is that each time you open a different file, it's synchronizing itself with another copy, propagating past problems. Maybe that's how your backup went bad.

I've only read about replication and experimented with it once, never used it for real. I'm going to bow out before I give you bad advice. Wish you luck. Rick Sprague

 

[CactysJack]

Dear Rick,

I am working with the Master and it has had a replica made and sent to the current user. That process seems to work OK and further the Master I am working with is split. That also has worked fine.

You're probably right that there is synchronization going on that I am not aware of. I guess I should write protect my ZIP backups to prevent any funny business.

If and when I get the process figured out, I'll post the answer here. Maybe I should go back to my pre-split version to simplify things while I try to create the new cosmetics.

 

[FEDSEC]

Yes, go back to the pre split version, back it up and split the copy. They should automatically be linkes as Database_Fe and Database_Be. Make your changes to the frontend and if you need a copy of the frontend or backend just copy them Don't make a Replica!
It really is very easy, your only problem was using the replica.

 

[CactysJack]

Dear Fedsec,

Sounds like a good idea. In the meantime I am making all the database files Read-Only until I need them.

I'll let you know.

John

 

[CactysJack]

Well I finally got it. It was pretty straight forward once you find the right path.

1. Make your source Read-Only and back it up at least twice on removable media for maximum protection. Save the form and report styles first for future use if you need them.

2. Use your unsplit version of the source (always save this for future repair work).

3. Open a NEW database in its own new special directory (separate from anything else) and open the Database window for both the new and the source database (both shrunk so you can see them at the same time.

4. Now drag each object in the Tables, Forms, Reports etc. areas from the source to the new database.

(I had trouble with one form which a message claimed duplicated a name or something like that. I just skipped it and built a new one in the new database using the style I had saved from the first.)

5. Use the new special directory on C:\ (for easy portability) for the program and later for the front-end back-end files if you split. Also you can put the program icon there if you want it to appear on forms and tables.

6. This may be overkill but it did work safely.

Thanks for all the preceding posts which got me on the right path.

John