Cant Open file over Network?

[Guest]

We have a database that we use for making reservations and such for a lodging
business. We have a small network with a front and back computer and we also
use a laptop from time to time. The database file is stored on the front
computer and the back computer connects to the file over the network. For
several years now this has worked without any problems. All of a sudden now
the back computer will not open the file if it is open on the front computer
(the hourglass comes up but nothing happens). If the database is closed on
the front computer the back can open the file with no problems. I have no
idea what has changed recently to make it act this way, but it was never like
this before and we have not updated or changed anything as far as I know. We
started using office 97 (i think, its been so long) and upgraded a few years
back to the office xp version and things didnt get messed up at all with that
upgrade. This is just totally wierd to me and I would really appreciate any
help or info about what might be the problem. Thanks!

 

[Albert D. Kallal]

Usually, single user mode is triggered for one of two reasons:

The one file is opening the back end exclusive, and thus no one else will be
allowed.

Check tools->options->advanced tab

Check he default open mode.....

The other thing to check is the permissions on that shared folder. Users
need FULL rights

Full rights means create, and delete rights (if the users can't create, or
delete files in the shared folder, then ms-access can't create the
multi-user locking files..and thus single user mode is used).


And, if users are using the file->open from the ms-access menu, then make
sure they are not opening by using the "exclusive" option on the open...

 

[Guest]

The settings are set for shared default open mode and I have double checked
that the folder the file is in is shared and both users have full access. I
can make copies of the file from the back computer with no problem, but
unless the database is now closed on the front computer it will not open from
the back. Once I close the database on the front computer then I can open the
file without a problem and then proceede to open the database on the front
computer and it works fine.

Thank you for giving me something to start with, I couldn't remember where
the default mode setting was. Just wish that was the fix, lol.

 

[David W. Fenton]

Full rights means create, and delete rights (if the users can't
create, or delete files in the shared folder, then ms-access can't
create the multi-user locking files..and thus single user mode is
used).

Everyone always says this, but it's really only half the story.

A user needs only CHANGE permissions, not DELETE. That means a user
with no DELETE permission will leave the LDB file when they exit.
This doesn't necessarily cause any problems at all.

In my apps, there are generally a few users who are administrators
and I give them DELETE permission. If they are the last one to exit,
the LDB file gets deleted.

The reason to remove DELETE permission is so that an end user can't
delete the data MDB. The only way to give DELETE permission on the
folder and prohibit that is to apply DENY DELETE to the data MDB
itself. However, then you have to be careful about restoring those
permissions after a compact.

 

[David W. Fenton]

The settings are set for shared default open mode and I have
double checked that the folder the file is in is shared and both
users have full access.

Remember that the permissions on the share are independent of the
permissions on the underying folder that is shared -- both need to
be correct for users to have the access you want.

 

[Guest]

I understand how permissions should work. The thing is for ONLY the access
database file things are not working the way they should. I am not a novice
at this as we have been running the program for close to a decade now and
never before a few days ago have we had any problems. The obvious fixes have
been applied and they are not the solution so far. I can turn on and off the
file sharing for the folders and the only thing that changes is when sharing
is off then I get a message saying I need to check with network administrator
to get permission (thats what it should say). I then can turn back on the
file sharing and I am back to the original problem that the back computer
cannot open the file wile it is open on the front computer. I am not the only
one that has this problem apparently as i read a similar post here by
(e-mail address removed) (his post describes the same basic problem about not
being able to open accross a network). Obviously something out there has
changed and SOMEONE does know whats going on.

 

[David W. Fenton]

I understand how permissions should work.

I wasn't actually intending to be addressing your original problem,
which I don't believe has anything at all to do with NTFS
permissions -- I was only responding to the repeated assertion that
users have to have FULL CONTROL to work. That is not true -- they
only need CHANGE permission.

 

[John Vinson]

I wasn't actually intending to be addressing your original problem,
which I don't believe has anything at all to do with NTFS
permissions -- I was only responding to the repeated assertion that
users have to have FULL CONTROL to work. That is not true -- they
only need CHANGE permission.

Thanks, David. I've been making this assertion, and will now change my
tune.

John W. Vinson[MVP]

 

[Bill Mosca, MS Access MVP]

One of the things that tripped me up was one of my users double-clicked the
file in Explorer to open it. Doing so automatically opens it in exclusive
mode. That might be something for you to look into.

The users should have a shortcut with a target line similar to "C:\Program
Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\msaccess.exe" "YourDBPathGoesHere"

 

[David W. Fenton]

Thanks, David. I've been making this assertion, and will now
change my tune.

Well, the main thing is that there *are* repercussions to removing
DELETE permission, in that the LDB file will not be deleted. If the
LDB file is somehow corrupted, then you can end up with problems. I
have found that as long as some of the users have DELETE permission,
the LDB file gets deleted often enough that it's not a problem.

And if you're not concerned about removing DELETE permission on the
back end file, then you can just give full control to everyone and
not have to worry about it.

 

[John Vinson]

And if you're not concerned about removing DELETE permission on the
back end file, then you can just give full control to everyone and
not have to worry about it.

I had one client inadvertantly delete the backend .mdb file, the
workgroup file, and the master copy of the frontend from the backend
folder.

No backup either (it was a very fresh install so there was no data
lost, but restoring everything from scratch took a while...)

John W. Vinson[MVP]