Is there a way of loging off other users
remotely? This will be helpful for me if
I need to have exclusive use of the data
base to update reports etc
From your question, I infer that you are developing on the same database
that you use for production (when you speak about needing exclusive use to
update...). That does not necessarily mean, but could also imply, that you
have multiple users logged in to the same monolithic (not split into
front-end and back-end databases) database, which would significantly
increase the chances of corruption.
You should split into front and back end, linking from the front ends (one
on each user's machine) to the tables in the backend database located in a
shared folder on the server.
You'll find an introductory-level presentation about Access in a multiuser
environment that I did for my user group at
http://appdevissues.tripod.com/downloads.htm. You'll find the best
collection of links and information that I know about on Access multiuser at
MVP Tony Toews' site,
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm (including his
AutoFE Updater, which simplifies distributing revised front end databases to
your users).
With front end on the user machines, and tables on the server, you can
create a server table for "communication" and only give the administrator
(that'd be you) a screen that allows you to set a "get-off time" in the
shared tables. Then, in the users' frontend, at startup, set a timer to
bring up code every few minutes that checks in the back end... if you have
set a system shutdown time, it will warn them as that time approaches, then
when the shutdown time arrives, will Quit the application. The first code in
the user front ends will check that table, and will not allow them to
continue if you are still in "system shutdown" state.
So, you can't _exactly_ log the users off remotely, but you can make your
application log them off.
Larry Linson
Microsoft Access MVP
