Distributing a FE/BE and linking them

[Arturo]

I am getting ready to distribute an Access 2003 program to different
locations. Later I will do this using Access 2007 and the functionality that
creates a run-time version. I have a front-end I’ll call MyFE.mdb. I have a
back-end I’ll call MyBE.mdb. In my front-end I have links to the tables in
the back-end. MyBE.mdb is in a folder on the network named "Project." I used
the “Y†drive to link MyFE.mdb to MyBE.mdb. The link shows up as
“Y:\MyBE.mdb.â€

My question is this. If I instruct the users to place the back-end on their
network in a folder of their choice, link to MyBE.mdb using the “Y†drive,
will it link up correctly?

Thank you for your help.

 

[Jackie L]

Arturo,

If in your last statement "If I instruct the users to place the back-end on
their ...", you mean the "front-end" then that would be correct. I am more
consistent with the workstation setup also where each workstation has the
front-end in the same location instead of placing it in a location of their
choosing. That way, with a .bat file, each workstation can download front
end changes without going through a manual process.

 

[golfinray]

The best and safest way to link is to use UNC, or a direct path to the BE.
When you link the tables and click on the "always prompt for new location",
go to network neigborhood and find your server. Your path would then be
something like \\server\users directory\fileshare\yourbe Do that for each
table and then all users should have no problem. Distribute the fe to each
user, put it in their my documents folder, and then make a shortcut to it.
Remember that all users must have read\write\edit\delete rights to the be and
the folder it resides in.

 

[Patrick J]

I am getting ready to distribute an Access 2003 program to different
locations. Later I will do this using Access 2007 and the functionality that
creates a run-time version. I have a front-end I’ll call MyFE.mdb. I have a
back-end I’ll call MyBE.mdb. In my front-end I have links to the tablesin
the back-end. MyBE.mdb is in a folder on the network named "Project." I used
the “Y” drive to link MyFE.mdb to MyBE.mdb. The link shows up as
“Y:\MyBE.mdb.”

My question is this. If I instruct the users to place the back-end on their
network in a folder of their choice, link to MyBE.mdb using the “Y” drive,
will it link up correctly?

Thank you for your help.

What I have done with several databases is to place the back-end in a
hidden folder somewhere on a network drive that people won't have
access to. Then I place the front-end somewhere that all the users
will have access to, and they can open it from there. Usually I'll
even go so far as to set up a shortcut on their desktops to the single
front end, since our network drive hierarchy doesn't make the best
sense (I'm not in IT and don't have control over that) - and many of
my users are very basic in their computer abilities.

As long as the database is setup properly to handle multiple users, it
should be OK. I think it's a lot simpler than having multiple front-
and back-ends floating around out there. Not to mention that you'll
have one single back-end - so that additions or modifications made by
one user is visible to everyone else. Periodically you would just need
to backup the back-end and place it somewhere secure so that you'll
have a replacement if something happens to the back-end.

 

[Arturo]

The users will put the front-end in a folder on their C:\Drive, all with the
same name. The back-end will be on their server. I would have them map a
drive to the back-end file on each computer. I would have them use "Y" as the
drive of choice.

So, I am asking if this will work. This will be a temporary solution to
allow me six to eight months to make necessary program and procedural changes
and set up an FTP process to gather data from the back-end. This part will be
done using a run-time version that will be created using 2007.

 

[Arturo]

The users will put the front-end in a folder on their C:\Drive, all with the
same name. The back-end will be on their server. I would have them map a
drive to the back-end file on each computer. I would have them use "Y" as the
drive of choice.

So, I am asking if this will work. This will be a temporary solution to
allow me six to eight months to make necessary program and procedural changes
and set up an FTP process to gather data from the back-end. This part will be
done using a run-time version that will be created using 2007.

 

[Arturo]

I will only be using one BE. All the front-ends will be linked to that BE.
Since the FE's are all the same and in the same location on each computer
updates are not a problem. I am looking for a temporary solution. If I do
what I say, will that work?

Thank you.

 

[Beetle]

If you use UNC path naming, as Milton suggested, then your users
won't have to go through to the trouble of mapping the backend
themselves. The (UNC) path to the backend should be the same
from all PC's.

 

[Patrick J]

The users will put the front-end in a folder on their C:\Drive, all with the
same name. The back-end will be on their server. I would have them map a
drive to the back-end file on each computer. I would have them use "Y" asthe
drive of choice.

So, I am asking if this will work. This will be a temporary solution to
allow me six to eight months to make necessary program and procedural changes
and set up an FTP process to gather data from the back-end. This part will be
done using a run-time version that will be created using 2007.







- Show quoted text -

Even if this is just a temporary solution, the users shouldn't have to
map anything themselves. What people are suggesting here is that you
put the FE in a single location somewhere on the network, the BE in a
single location somewhere on the network, and link them together using
a UNC path. Then the user can either access the FE directly where it
is (what I suggested in my post) or put a copy on their local machine
(what others here suggested) which will work fine because the link
utilizes a UNC path.

 

[golfinray]

Yes.
--
Milton Purdy
ACCESS
State of Arkansas

I will only be using one BE. All the front-ends will be linked to that BE.
Since the FE's are all the same and in the same location on each computer
updates are not a problem. I am looking for a temporary solution. If I do
what I say, will that work?

Thank you.