Question about AutoUpdaterFE

[Guest]

I am using AutoUpdater FE by Tony Toews and everything seemed to be going
just like I thought it should...until today. Here is my understanding of how
this whole thing works. When you launch Auto Updater FE it checks the server
to see if a newer version is available. If so, it copies the new version to
the user's workstation and then launches the new version from that
workstation. If no new version exists on the server, AutoUpdater just
launches the existing version. Somehow while working on a new version of my
database frontend, I seem to have modified the version on the server. Don't
ask me how because I can't figure out how it happened. I went to a
workstation where the user had the old version running it changed to the new
version. How is that possible? First, when a user is running their frontend,
I was under the impression that they are running the version on their local
hard drive. Second, I didn't think a change to the front end would (could?)
be implemented until the user launched AutoUpdater FE. I intentionally went
back to the front end on the server and 'un-did' the change and sure enough
it changed on the user's workstations with out re-launching the database.

This isn't a problem and not data was lost or anything it just bothers me
that I don't understand what is going on. Can anyone offer any suggestions as
to what is going on?

 

[Tony Toews [MVP]]

Here is my understanding of how
this whole thing works. When you launch Auto Updater FE it checks the server
to see if a newer version is available. If so, it copies the new version to
the user's workstation and then launches the new version from that
workstation. If no new version exists on the server, AutoUpdater just
launches the existing version.

Correct.

However the Auto FE Updater uses the file(s) date and time to see if
the FE (and other files) on the client need updating.

Somehow while working on a new version of my
database frontend, I seem to have modified the version on the server. Don't
ask me how because I can't figure out how it happened. I went to a
workstation where the user had the old version running it changed to the new
version. How is that possible?

If you somehow managed to start making a change to the FE on the
server then it's file time and date would immediately change. Then if
the user five minutes later starts the Auto FE Updater it would
happily copy down the partially updated FE from the server.

Hmm, that is interesting though isn't it. I don't have any logic
which checks for this particular circumstance which should never
happen anyhow. Emphasis on should.

First, when a user is running their frontend,
I was under the impression that they are running the version on their local
hard drive.

Correct. Assuming that the INI file is pointing to their hard drive.
One option is to create user specific folders on the server and run
the FE from the server. This isn't necessarily a good idea as it will
be somewhat slower but in a Citrix/Terminal Server environment this
may be all that the IT staff will let you do.

Second, I didn't think a change to the front end would (could?)
be implemented until the user launched AutoUpdater FE.
Correct.

I intentionally went
back to the front end on the server and 'un-did' the change and sure enough
it changed on the user's workstations with out re-launching the database.

This isn't a problem and not data was lost or anything it just bothers me
that I don't understand what is going on. Can anyone offer any suggestions as
to what is going on?

Have I explained things or muddied the waters?

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
Tony's Microsoft Access Blog - http://msmvps.com/blogs/access/

 

[Guest]

Tony,

Thank you very much for your response. While I am at it, thanks very much
for AutoUpdater! Very usefull indeed.

Have you cleared things up or made them muddier? Well, they're not any
muddier but I can't say that they are any clearer either. Let me try
being more specific and see if that helps our understanding.

When I set up AutoUpdater FE in the first place I have to admit that I had
some real problems understanding what I needed to do about the whole INI file
and who went where. But I found a post on the forums from you explaining to
another user how to run your program on their workstation, copy the resulting
shortcut back to the server and then run the shortcut (from the server) on
all the other workstations. That's what I did and everything seemed to work
just fine. I explain all of this so you will have a better idea if I have
screwed something up from the very beginning.

So that is how I setup AutoUpdater and as I said, everything seems to be
working just fine. I have been working on a new version (I call it ver. 5.3).
When I work on a new version, I have a copy on my workstation that is
connected to a local backend. Once I am happy with it, I copy it to the
server into a "FE" folder and when the users launch their local AutoUpdater
it copies the new version to their machine. So yesterday, I finished a new
version (v 5.3). I copied it to one of our workstations. Note that I didn't
use AutoUpdater to do this. I manually copied it to the workstation's
desktop. That way I can get some of my people to 'beta' test my new front end
before I distribute it to all users.

One of the things I changed in v 5.3 was the Switchboard; I added a new
listing called "New Forms Page". That was in version 5.3 which is on a
workstation's desktop. So why when I launch v 5.2 (the latest on the server)
using AutoUpdater do I get a Switchboard that shows "New Forms Page"? Since
those forms aren't in that frontend you get an error when you try to click on
them but why do they show in the switchboard of ver 5.2 at all?

As I mentioned earlier, Tony, this is not a real problem just kind of
perplexing. If you want to persue it more I am happy to continue but if you
want to just drop I understand.

Thanks for everything,
Steven

 

[Tony Toews [MVP]]

Thank you very much for your response. While I am at it, thanks very much
for AutoUpdater! Very usefull indeed.

Thanks for your kind words. They make the effort worth while.

Have you cleared things up or made them muddier? Well, they're not any
muddier but I can't say that they are any clearer either.

When I set up AutoUpdater FE in the first place I have to admit that I had
some real problems understanding what I needed to do about the whole INI file
and who went where.

Understandable. Document writing is one of my few weaknesses.

But I found a post on the forums from you explaining to
another user how to run your program on their workstation, copy the resulting
shortcut back to the server and then run the shortcut (from the server) on
all the other workstations. That's what I did and everything seemed to work
just fine. I explain all of this so you will have a better idea if I have
screwed something up from the very beginning.
Good.

So that is how I setup AutoUpdater and as I said, everything seems to be
working just fine. I have been working on a new version (I call it ver. 5.3).
When I work on a new version, I have a copy on my workstation that is
connected to a local backend. Once I am happy with it, I copy it to the
server into a "FE" folder and when the users launch their local AutoUpdater
it copies the new version to their machine.

Yes, that's the idea.

So yesterday, I finished a new
version (v 5.3). I copied it to one of our workstations. Note that I didn't
use AutoUpdater to do this. I manually copied it to the workstation's
desktop. That way I can get some of my people to 'beta' test my new front end
before I distribute it to all users.

One of the things I changed in v 5.3 was the Switchboard; I added a new
listing called "New Forms Page". That was in version 5.3 which is on a
workstation's desktop. So why when I launch v 5.2 (the latest on the server)
using AutoUpdater do I get a Switchboard that shows "New Forms Page"? Since
those forms aren't in that frontend you get an error when you try to click on
them but why do they show in the switchboard of ver 5.2 at all?

I can't answer that.

Oh wait, what kind of Switchboard are you running? Are you running
the Switchboard using the wizard from Microsoft? Which uses tables?
If so are the switchboard tables in the FE or the BE? I suspect the
switchboard tables are in the BE when they should be in the FE.

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
Tony's Microsoft Access Blog - http://msmvps.com/blogs/access/

 

[Guest]

You may have just deduced the problem. I am indeed using the Switchboard
created by the Access Wizard. And therefore the Switchboard item table is in
the BE. I woould ask how to extract that table back to the FE but I won't.
Yet. Let me think about what you have told me and research moving the
table to the FE. Thanks for all of your help.

 

[Tony Toews [MVP]]

You may have just deduced the problem. I am indeed using the Switchboard
created by the Access Wizard. And therefore the Switchboard item table is in
the BE. I woould ask how to extract that table back to the FE but I won't.
Yet. Let me think about what you have told me and research moving the
table to the FE. Thanks for all of your help.

In the FE delete the link to the table(s). Then File >> Import the
tables. Once you've distributed the new FE then delete the tables
out of the BE.

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
Tony's Microsoft Access Blog - http://msmvps.com/blogs/access/