optimal way to link to word documents

[Guest]

I would like to Link over to numerous documents based on the prod. id. for
example a Material Safety Data Sheet(in word), a doc. showing spec. limits,
etc. and a lot more other fields that would link over to other doc. or
spreadsheets. To optimize - make the database be as small as possible and
user friendly- What is the best way to set the table up- and input the data.
Not sure if I should use the Hyperlink data type or OLE - what is the
difference . I know on OLE to input you have to make sure you choose to LINK
so the file doesn't get too large. How do you input for hyperlink the data.

What's the best way???

Thanks,
Barb

 

[pietlinden]

I would like to Link over to numerous documents based on the prod. id. for
example a Material Safety Data Sheet(in word), a doc. showing spec. limits,
etc. and a lot more other fields that would link over to other doc. or
spreadsheets. To optimize - make the database be as small as possible and
user friendly- What is the best way to set the table up- and input the data.
Not sure if I should use the Hyperlink data type or OLE - what is the
difference . I know on OLE to input you have to make sure you choose to LINK
so the file doesn't get too large. How do you input for hyperlink the data.

What's the best way???

Thanks,
Barb

use a hyperlink. Access can't handle many OLE objects before it
bloats badly. (Make a database and try it!) I'd just put the files
in a single directory and then if you name them consistently, you can
just create an update query to specify the path to the file.
Otherwise, use the FileOpen API at Access Web.

 

[Guest]

I set the table up with hyperlinks. To input the records do you just right
click and go to Edit Hyperlink-is there a better way.

NOt real clear on the update query for this hyperlink idea- I have used
update query before but not sure how to use it with Hyperlink.

Say I named the Specsheets for each product id - best way???
ProductId(actualid)Specsheet.- and how can you match up the fileNAME with the
ProductID -

Can you give me a little more detail on the Update query for this - sounds
like something that would help alot with data entry.

Thanks,
Barb

 

[Paul Shapiro]

If you expect to have hundreds of documents, you might consider building a
sub-directory structure to limit the number of documents in each folder.
Opening documents from a single folder containing thousands of documents can
be slow, so do some testing with representative numbers if you can.
Paul Shapiro

 

[Guest]

Not really clear about using the update query see my previous posting - still
need an answer to that.

Thanks for the help,
Barb

 

[pietlinden]

Not really clear about using the update query see my previous posting - still
need an answer to that.

Thanks for the help,
Barb

say for the sake of argument your file name is MyFile.doc, but you
want the entire path for the hyperlink.

You could do something like

UPDATE MyDocsTable
SET filename="C:\dir\subdir\" & [MyDocsTable].[Filename]
WHERE...

if you don't include the WHERE clause, the query will update ALL
records.

then you can just *format* the textbox like a hyperlink. (store the
path in the table as a text field.)