FE Running Slow with BE on Network

[Doctor]

Let me start off by saying that I know very little about networks. I am
definately a novice in that department.

I have been having two issues that I have been unable to fix. The problems
may be related.

What We Have
BE/FE database. FE is approx 20 MB. BE is approx 20 MB.
BE is on Windows Server 2003
FE is on each PC which run either XP Pro or Vista Premium
Each PC has Office 2003 installed
The FE's are all mde's
7 users with not more than 3 or 4 concurrent users

Problem ONE:
When ever two or more users are logged into their FE through their MDE file,
when I access the data with my MDB file to make new
reports/queries/forms/etc. my design time is super slow.
For instance, when laying out a new report linked to a brand new query, I
will try to drag fields from the Field List box. Three to four seconds goes
by, then the fields appear in the report. Basically, take everything that you
do that happens instantly and add 5 seconds to it. Rough!
The trick is that if I am here designing stuff when no one else is logged
on, then it runs normally. Or if I take the MDB file off site to design at
home (with a BE copy), it runs fine. If people are logged on and I am not
designing queries/forms/reports, then it runs fine.

Problem TWO:
We use a modified version of Allen Browne's search form
(http://www.allenbrowne.com/ser-62.html) for searching through our records.
The form is based on a query. What happens on only three out of the seven
computers is that only directly linked fields show up immediately. Calculated
fields can take from three to four minutes to display. {My calculated field
is this: =IIf([ChurchAddress2] Is Null,[ChurchAddress1],[ChurchAddress1] & ",
" & [ChurchAddress2]) }
Yes, I could put the calculated field in the in the query, which I may do,
but shouldn't it work as expected on all of the computers even the way that I
have it?

Thank you so much for any help.

 

[Jerry Whittle]

You answered your own question in Problem ONE. I never do development with
live, production data. It's too easy to make a mistake and delete or modify
data. Develop in a development sandbox, test, test again, then put into
production.

I have to question the 20 MB FE's. That is very large especially for an MDE.
do you have a lot of graphic in it?

My first suggestion is check permissions on the BE. Make sure that the users
have read, write, create, and delete privileges to the entire folder and
files in it.

Next I would disable the virus checker on one of the PCs just for testing.
If you notice an improvement, see if you can set the virus checker to not
scan .md* files.

Has anyone tested the network and server? Maybe something is slow there. How
long does it take to copy a 100 mb file from the server to one of the PCs? If
it takes over 5 seconds to download and 10 seconds to upload, there could be
a problem there.

One trick to is keep a persistant connection to the BE. Create a little junk
table in the BE. Have a form connected to this table in the FE. One opening
the FE have this form open and then go invisible. That way the connection
between the two stays open.
--
Jerry Whittle, Microsoft Access MVP
Light. Strong. Cheap. Pick two. Keith Bontrager - Bicycle Builder.

Let me start off by saying that I know very little about networks. I am
definately a novice in that department.

I have been having two issues that I have been unable to fix. The problems
may be related.

What We Have
BE/FE database. FE is approx 20 MB. BE is approx 20 MB.
BE is on Windows Server 2003
FE is on each PC which run either XP Pro or Vista Premium
Each PC has Office 2003 installed
The FE's are all mde's
7 users with not more than 3 or 4 concurrent users

Problem ONE:
When ever two or more users are logged into their FE through their MDE file,
when I access the data with my MDB file to make new
reports/queries/forms/etc. my design time is super slow.
For instance, when laying out a new report linked to a brand new query, I
will try to drag fields from the Field List box. Three to four seconds goes
by, then the fields appear in the report. Basically, take everything that you
do that happens instantly and add 5 seconds to it. Rough!
The trick is that if I am here designing stuff when no one else is logged
on, then it runs normally. Or if I take the MDB file off site to design at
home (with a BE copy), it runs fine. If people are logged on and I am not
designing queries/forms/reports, then it runs fine.

Problem TWO:
We use a modified version of Allen Browne's search form
(http://www.allenbrowne.com/ser-62.html) for searching through our records.
The form is based on a query. What happens on only three out of the seven
computers is that only directly linked fields show up immediately. Calculated
fields can take from three to four minutes to display. {My calculated field
is this: =IIf([ChurchAddress2] Is Null,[ChurchAddress1],[ChurchAddress1] & ",
" & [ChurchAddress2]) }
Yes, I could put the calculated field in the in the query, which I may do,
but shouldn't it work as expected on all of the computers even the way that I
have it?

Thank you so much for any help.

 

[Doctor]

Thank you so much for your response and suggestions!

Changing info is done. There are no action queries to run. It is mostly that
they want additional reports. Do you think that I still ought to build on
dummy data?

On the 20 MB FE. Yes, I do have image headers on the top of forms and
reports. Is this okay to do. It sure makes it look nice.

Users have full permission for the folder.

I just copied a 91 MB file to the server and with a rough "head" count, it
took 7 seconds.

I will try your idea about the dummy BE table tonight after everyone is done
with the BE file.

Do any of my responses lead you to any more/different conclusions.

Again, thanks for the advice.

You answered your own question in Problem ONE. I never do development with
live, production data. It's too easy to make a mistake and delete or modify
data. Develop in a development sandbox, test, test again, then put into
production.

I have to question the 20 MB FE's. That is very large especially for an MDE.
do you have a lot of graphic in it?

My first suggestion is check permissions on the BE. Make sure that the users
have read, write, create, and delete privileges to the entire folder and
files in it.

Next I would disable the virus checker on one of the PCs just for testing.
If you notice an improvement, see if you can set the virus checker to not
scan .md* files.

Has anyone tested the network and server? Maybe something is slow there. How
long does it take to copy a 100 mb file from the server to one of the PCs? If
it takes over 5 seconds to download and 10 seconds to upload, there could be
a problem there.

One trick to is keep a persistant connection to the BE. Create a little junk
table in the BE. Have a form connected to this table in the FE. One opening
the FE have this form open and then go invisible. That way the connection
between the two stays open.
--
Jerry Whittle, Microsoft Access MVP
Light. Strong. Cheap. Pick two. Keith Bontrager - Bicycle Builder.

Let me start off by saying that I know very little about networks. I am
definately a novice in that department.

I have been having two issues that I have been unable to fix. The problems
may be related.

What We Have
BE/FE database. FE is approx 20 MB. BE is approx 20 MB.
BE is on Windows Server 2003
FE is on each PC which run either XP Pro or Vista Premium
Each PC has Office 2003 installed
The FE's are all mde's
7 users with not more than 3 or 4 concurrent users

Problem ONE:
When ever two or more users are logged into their FE through their MDE file,
when I access the data with my MDB file to make new
reports/queries/forms/etc. my design time is super slow.
For instance, when laying out a new report linked to a brand new query, I
will try to drag fields from the Field List box. Three to four seconds goes
by, then the fields appear in the report. Basically, take everything that you
do that happens instantly and add 5 seconds to it. Rough!
The trick is that if I am here designing stuff when no one else is logged
on, then it runs normally. Or if I take the MDB file off site to design at
home (with a BE copy), it runs fine. If people are logged on and I am not
designing queries/forms/reports, then it runs fine.

Problem TWO:
We use a modified version of Allen Browne's search form
(http://www.allenbrowne.com/ser-62.html) for searching through our records.
The form is based on a query. What happens on only three out of the seven
computers is that only directly linked fields show up immediately. Calculated
fields can take from three to four minutes to display. {My calculated field
is this: =IIf([ChurchAddress2] Is Null,[ChurchAddress1],[ChurchAddress1] & ",
" & [ChurchAddress2]) }
Yes, I could put the calculated field in the in the query, which I may do,
but shouldn't it work as expected on all of the computers even the way that I
have it?

Thank you so much for any help.

 

[Jerry Whittle]

I highly suggest building on dummy data unless you back up the production
data often. If you make a mistake on dummy data, no problem. Make a mistake
on production data - that's a problem!

The graphics would explain such a large FE so it's probably not a problem.

Seems that you network if fast enough.

I'd test with the virus checker disabled. I've seen it slow down databases
quite a bit.
--
Jerry Whittle, Microsoft Access MVP
Light. Strong. Cheap. Pick two. Keith Bontrager - Bicycle Builder.

Thank you so much for your response and suggestions!

Changing info is done. There are no action queries to run. It is mostly that
they want additional reports. Do you think that I still ought to build on
dummy data?

On the 20 MB FE. Yes, I do have image headers on the top of forms and
reports. Is this okay to do. It sure makes it look nice.

Users have full permission for the folder.

I just copied a 91 MB file to the server and with a rough "head" count, it
took 7 seconds.

I will try your idea about the dummy BE table tonight after everyone is done
with the BE file.

Do any of my responses lead you to any more/different conclusions.

Again, thanks for the advice.

You answered your own question in Problem ONE. I never do development with
live, production data. It's too easy to make a mistake and delete or modify
data. Develop in a development sandbox, test, test again, then put into
production.

I have to question the 20 MB FE's. That is very large especially for an MDE.
do you have a lot of graphic in it?

My first suggestion is check permissions on the BE. Make sure that the users
have read, write, create, and delete privileges to the entire folder and
files in it.

Next I would disable the virus checker on one of the PCs just for testing.
If you notice an improvement, see if you can set the virus checker to not
scan .md* files.

Has anyone tested the network and server? Maybe something is slow there. How
long does it take to copy a 100 mb file from the server to one of the PCs? If
it takes over 5 seconds to download and 10 seconds to upload, there could be
a problem there.

One trick to is keep a persistant connection to the BE. Create a little junk
table in the BE. Have a form connected to this table in the FE. One opening
the FE have this form open and then go invisible. That way the connection
between the two stays open.
--
Jerry Whittle, Microsoft Access MVP
Light. Strong. Cheap. Pick two. Keith Bontrager - Bicycle Builder.

Let me start off by saying that I know very little about networks. I am
definately a novice in that department.

I have been having two issues that I have been unable to fix. The problems
may be related.

What We Have
BE/FE database. FE is approx 20 MB. BE is approx 20 MB.
BE is on Windows Server 2003
FE is on each PC which run either XP Pro or Vista Premium
Each PC has Office 2003 installed
The FE's are all mde's
7 users with not more than 3 or 4 concurrent users

Problem ONE:
When ever two or more users are logged into their FE through their MDE file,
when I access the data with my MDB file to make new
reports/queries/forms/etc. my design time is super slow.
For instance, when laying out a new report linked to a brand new query, I
will try to drag fields from the Field List box. Three to four seconds goes
by, then the fields appear in the report. Basically, take everything that you
do that happens instantly and add 5 seconds to it. Rough!
The trick is that if I am here designing stuff when no one else is logged
on, then it runs normally. Or if I take the MDB file off site to design at
home (with a BE copy), it runs fine. If people are logged on and I am not
designing queries/forms/reports, then it runs fine.

Problem TWO:
We use a modified version of Allen Browne's search form
(http://www.allenbrowne.com/ser-62.html) for searching through our records.
The form is based on a query. What happens on only three out of the seven
computers is that only directly linked fields show up immediately. Calculated
fields can take from three to four minutes to display. {My calculated field
is this: =IIf([ChurchAddress2] Is Null,[ChurchAddress1],[ChurchAddress1] & ",
" & [ChurchAddress2]) }
Yes, I could put the calculated field in the in the query, which I may do,
but shouldn't it work as expected on all of the computers even the way that I
have it?

Thank you so much for any help.