Linked Table Manager and sending a new Front End to a client

[AC]

Since it's my first post, I'd like to say a quick thanks to all the
contributors whose thoughts and solutions I have been reading for a while.
However, I like to think that I have managed to come up with my own problem
now!

I have a database for a client who occasionally asks for an update. The
database is split into front and back ends on their site, so all I need to
do is make revisions to the front end and send it by email to them. The
grind though is talking them through the Linked Table Manager process since
their files are (obviously enough) on a different path to my versions. It's
not a terrible problem, but it takes time and every now and then someone
gets confused and it all gets difficult. Since I know the path that their
back end files sit on, is there anyway for me to change these properties in
my front end so that when they unzip and install, the front end is already
looking in the right place (on their server) without the client having to do
anything?

If I open the linked table from the front end, I can see the path in the
table properties, but I cannot update it. I can't used the Linked Table
Manager because I don't have a valid path the same as the client to link it
to.

Am I missing an obvious solution?

Many thanks,

 

[Guest]

See this site
http://www.mvps.org/access/tables/tbl0009.htm

 

[Albert D.Kallal]

As you can see, as a developer, you have no problems using the linked table
manager.

However, as a developer, you quickly (like everyone else) conclude that
users
have no business needing, nor trying to use the linked table manager. As
result
we all very quickly learn to write our own link routines at startup.

The general routine simply looks for the back end, and if not found, then
prompts the file browse dialog box up..and the user browses to the back end.

If you *know* the location, then you can have startup code check for this
location...and then re-link.

In fact, for my applications, *right* before I start a update to the next
great
version, I actually write out the path name to a file. That way, the code
re-links to whatever setting they currently have....

My update process is thus outlined here:

http://www.kallal.ca/ridestutorial/upgrade.html

The code to start the download is simply a followhyperlink command to the
web site. (no other code is needed!!!).

The code to re-link can be found here

http://www.mvps.org/access/tables/tbl0009.htm

And, the code to pop up the browse dialog can be found here
http://www.mvps.org/access/api/api0001.htm

So, in less then a afternoon of time...you can use the above two to cobble
together some re-link code for your particular needs....

You could even store the new pathname in a table that you create the in the
FE...
I often do this...and even have a check box called

relinkonStartup


So, you relink code can either

a) try to open a table in the BE...and trap this error

b) do a dir command to test for the existance of the *current* back
end...and if not found..then re-link

I have a fucinstion called strBackEnd.....

It is

Function strBackEnd() As String

Dim mytables As TableDef

Dim strTempBack As String
Dim strFullPath As String
strFullPath = ""

For Each mytables In CurrentDb.TableDefs
If Left(mytables.Connect, 10) = ";DATABASE=" Then
strFullPath = Mid(mytables.Connect, 11)
Exit For
End If
Next mytables

strBackEnd = strFullPath

End Function


The above simply returns the path of the currently linked back end....