front end simplified?

[Guest]

Ok...I've read enough about getting front end to other people's machines
through scripts and so on and so forth. I have a database that will only be
used by 4 people. If I simply copy and paste my existing front end, and name
each one so that it is opened by a different user, does this cause any
problems. I'm assuming this accomplishes all that I need.

My second question would then be managing the front end and back end. If I
make changes to the front end, then all I will have to do is then re-copy the
front end to have those changes saved right?

I would consider myself an intermediate Access developer, so some of the
jargon that has been thrown around is confusing me? Will this solution work?
Please let me know what problems I will run into.

Thanks!

 

[Bill Edwards]

Create a back end--place it in a shared network location.
Create a front end. Keep a copy of the original front end in a location
where it will only be accessed by you to do development on.
Place a copy of the front end on each individual user's local machine, not
on the network.
If you make changes to your development frontend, copy this new front end to
the users local machine, thereby overwriting the old front end.

To automate the process see Tony Toews Auto Updater--this utility is
frequently mentioned in the newsgroups. Alternatively you could create your
own batch file to copy the development frontend to the users local machines.

 

[Guest]

what harm is done by having the copies on the network? Most of our work is
done from the network already.

If I did create a batch file, I'm assuming that would just copy the front
end located on the network, paste it onto the user's local machine, then
start the front end from there? Seems like a simple routine to me I guess.
I've never created a batch file though, so I may have over-simplified it.

 

[Ron2006]

Here is what we use.....


RunBVG.bat
+++++++++++++++++++++++++

@echo off

copy "v:\share folder\Billing validation\Billing Validation.mdb"
"C:\Documents and Settings\Billing Validation.mdb" /Y

"C:\Documents and Settings\Billing Validation.mdb"
exit

+++++++++++++++++++++++++
watch wrapping.....
Ron

 

[Pat Hartman\(MVP\)]

The harm is that it increases network traffic because not only data but
objects from the front end must now be transferred to memory on the client
PC. If you have a fast network, you may not experience any problems. But,
most users find that using a network copy of the front end is slower than
using a local copy.

If you go the network route, I would suggest separate directories for each
person and leave the fe name constant.

 

[Ron2006]

If you change the name of your mdb slightly for each version, you could
also condtion the copy.


IF NOT EXIST "c:\Documents and settings\BVG App V1.mdb"copy
"v:\shareF~1\Billin~1\BVG App V1.mdb" "c:\Documents and settings\BVG
App V1.mdb" /Y

So everytime you want to install a new version then simply change your
bat file so it copies the never version and executes it.

Ron