Problem with shared MDE file on network

[Fred]

I have created a split DB in Access 2003 and want to use a single front
end on the shared directory of our network, so I created an MDE file. I
created a shortcut for folks to launch the MDE file, but nothing
happens when they click it. Even if they navigate to the actual MDE
file and double-click it nothing happens at all. However, they can
launch the original MDB file - which is not the solution I am looking
for. Any ideas why the "lockout" on the MDE file? I have not created
any users, security levels, groups, at all.

Thanks,
Fred

 

[Joseph Meehan]

I have created a split DB in Access 2003 and want to use a single
front end on the shared directory of our network, so I created an MDE
file. I created a shortcut for folks to launch the MDE file, but
nothing happens when they click it. Even if they navigate to the
actual MDE file and double-click it nothing happens at all. However,
they can launch the original MDB file - which is not the solution I
am looking for. Any ideas why the "lockout" on the MDE file? I have
not created any users, security levels, groups, at all.

Thanks,
Fred

You did not say, but I would guess the FE is not in the same directory
as the BE and the users don't have the same access rights to that directory.

I should add that you are defeating much of the advantage of a split
database by sharing a FE. Normally you want each user to have their own
copy of the FE on their own machine. It works better than way for a number
of reasons.

 

[Fred]

You did not say, but I would guess the FE is not in the same directory
as the BE and the users don't have the same access rights to that directory.

I should add that you are defeating much of the advantage of a split
database by sharing a FE. Normally you want each user to have their own
copy of the FE on their own machine. It works better than way for a number
of reasons.

Joseph, thanks for the reply. Yes, I hid the BE away from the FE. My
main reason for wanting the shared FE is that I plan to continue to
evolve the forms and reports and don't want to have to install the
updated FE on 80 plus machines every time. That being said, I am
planning to look closely at "Auto FE Updater" - see:
http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/autofe.htm - looks promising.

 

[Joseph Meehan]

Joseph, thanks for the reply. Yes, I hid the BE away from the FE. My
main reason for wanting the shared FE is that I plan to continue to
evolve the forms and reports and don't want to have to install the
updated FE on 80 plus machines every time. That being said, I am
planning to look closely at "Auto FE Updater" - see:
http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/autofe.htm - looks promising.

I suggest that you may want to look into some of the various tools and
procedures to distribute front ends. Making a front end but keeping it on
the server really does not do much for you. You need to have them on the
user's machines.

 

[Fred]

I suggest that you may want to look into some of the various tools and
procedures to distribute front ends. Making a front end but keeping it on
the server really does not do much for you. You need to have them on the
user's machines.

Joseph,

I looked at Auto FE Updater - while it does look powerful, it's a bit
daunting to me re: the prep and setup. What are some of the other
tools you are thinking of?

Fred

 

[Joseph Meehan]

Joseph,

I looked at Auto FE Updater - while it does look powerful, it's a bit
daunting to me re: the prep and setup. What are some of the other
tools you are thinking of?

Fred

Sorry. I have not used any of them myself. For the limited need I had
I wrote my own code. It worked in my limited environment but I would not
use it in a typical commercial situation.

 

[Larry Linson]

You might look at my article on "versioning" in the articles at
http://accdevel.tripod.com. There's nothing very daunting about it, and my
clients always felt if the user couldn't click and drag a file from the
server to their own machine, they shouldn't be using the database
application, anyway.

Larry Linson
Microsoft Access MVP

 

[aaron.kempf]

MDB and MDE are awful design choices.

Use SQL Server and Access Data Projects.
there are many freeware MS SQL Server options; like SQL 2005 Express or
MSDE 2.0.


Or shit; MSDE 1.0 for all I care.


-Aaron

 

[Joseph Meehan]

MDB and MDE are awful design choices.

Use SQL Server and Access Data Projects.
there are many freeware MS SQL Server options; like SQL 2005 Express
or MSDE 2.0.

Too bad you never seem to learn how to use MDB.

 

[aaron.kempf]

it's not a question of learning how to use it.

MDB is unreliable; unstable; poor performance

and UNACCEPTABLE.

MDB is for babies. SQL Server has more functionality; better
reliability-- at the same price.

MDB is pointless.. a dead end street.. 25mb is too large for Access in
some situations-- it is just friggin ridiculous.

and btw, the Netherlands should be a state inside Germany.


-Aaron
ADP Nationalist