Workgroup file question

[Savvoulidis Iordanis]

Is the workgroup file accessed through the network, every time a MDE
application does something in the MDB file?
Or only to identify which user should open the MDE and MDB file?

I use th MDE app in a networked environment with the MDB on the server, and
use a shortcut
like the one that follows, to open the app :

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\MSACCESS.EXE" "c:\user.mde"
/user user1 /wrkgrp "\\SERVER\users.mdw"

 

[Chris Mills]

I believe permissions are checked on an object whenever that object is
accessed, therefore the workgroup file must be available throughout the
session. Why would this be a problem?

(Test: change permissions with one session and see if it affects the other
session)

Chris

 

[Chris Mills]

My advice was wrong.

Permissions are associated with the mdb, and they change "dynamically".

Members of Groups is associated with the workgroup, and they don't change
"dynamically" within a session (after logging on).

Nevertheless I don't see why it's a problem. Why would you want to have the
Workgroup File unavailable after logon? (they might want to logon again
anytime). In any normal circumstances, who cares what is held in the mdb and
what is held in the mdw, in terms of when it is "refreshed"?

Chris

 

[TC]

Why do you care?

TC

 

[Savvoulidis Iordanis]

The reason I ask, is because the mde accesses the mdb through an internet
VPN (ADSL line 256Kbps),
so if on every action the mdw file is always accessed, makes the processing
slow. If it IS like that,
then what if the mdw file is installed in the client PCs with the mde, to be
accessed locally (and updated when
it changes)? Is this right thing to do?

 

[Chris Mills]

The reason I ask, is because the mde accesses the mdb through an internet

VPN (ADSL line 256Kbps),
so if on every action the mdw file is always accessed, makes the processing
slow. If it IS like that,
then what if the mdw file is installed in the client PCs with the mde, to be
accessed locally (and updated when
it changes)? Is this right thing to do?

Good points. The first is you have little control over what Access does, the
second is the more you put locally yes the faster it will run. That is why
Front Ends are put locally.

I would think the processing associated with an mdw is relatively small
compared to the mde/mdb, so you're at a point of diminishing returns.

You absolutely can install the mdw locally with each front-end, but this would
be a major problem if you want users to change passwords. I sometimes do that,
but for installation simplicity not speed reasons.

Chris

 

[TC]

When a user logs on, his identity & that of all the groiups to which he
belongs, is cahced in a memory structure. So Access does not need to
access the workgroup file so often. However, I imagine that it would
still access that file from time to time. If you really wanted to find
out the details, you could attach a file access monitor of some kind
for that purpose. Perhaps FieMon from www.sysinternals.com might work
here.

If you're worried about it, just have a local copy of the workgroup
file, on each pc. As Chris says, that makes password management a
problem /if/ a user can work on several PCs; because his current
passwoird is stored (independently) in the workgroup file on each PC. t
also means you need an administrative procedure for keeping the
different copies in synch, when you add or delete a user or group. That
might be hard, or easy, depending on how often you make such changes.

HTH,
TC

 

[Savvoulidis Iordanis]

Thank you all