Problem with multiple users -- Won't Open (Error 3734)

[Williams]

I have 2 users that need to work on the same database simultaneously. I have
encountered an odd problem. If one user is in the database the other user
receives a message that the other user has placed the database in a state
that prevents it from being opened or locked. The help facility indicates
that this error occurs when "the new passive shutdown / connection is being
used".

I did not, nor do I know how to enable this feature. How do I turn it off,
so multiple people can work on the database simultaneously.

(Note: They are not choosing to open the database in exclusive mode.)

Thanks,
Karen

 

[boblarson]

IMPORTANT - If you have multiple users using the same database you NEED to
have it split to a frontend/backend with the backend on a file server and a
copy of the frontend on EACH user's computer.

While Access will let you open a single mdb file with multiple users, it is
dangerous to do so as you not only run the risk of one person locking others
out, but you also run the much greater risk of corruption.

Split the database and put the frontend on both users computers and you
should see your problems pretty much evaporate. You can use the TOOLS >
DATABASE UTILITIES > DATABASE SPLITTER to split it automatically, or you can
do it manually: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/304932

--
Bob Larson
Access World Forums Super Moderator
Utter Access VIP
Tutorials at http://www.btabdevelopment.com
If my post was helpful to you, please rate the post.
__________________________________

 

[Rick Brandt]

I have 2 users that need to work on the same database simultaneously.
I have encountered an odd problem. If one user is in the database
the other user receives a message that the other user has placed the
database in a state that prevents it from being opened or locked.
The help facility indicates that this error occurs when "the new
passive shutdown / connection is being used".

I did not, nor do I know how to enable this feature. How do I turn
it off, so multiple people can work on the database simultaneously.

(Note: They are not choosing to open the database in exclusive mode.)

Thanks,
Karen

What permissions do they have to the *folder* where the file resides? They
need...

File Create (so first user can create LDB file)
Modify File (so subsequent users can modify LDB file)
Delete File (so last user to close file can delete LDB file)

If the first user cannot create the LDB file then he has exclusive access
whether he specified it or not.

 

[Williams]

I looked at the permissions for the folder & it looks like everyone has "Full
Control". Is there some other way that the "passive shutdown" could be
enabled?

I do not want to get into splitting this database. Only 2 users are using
it. I could do it but it requires me to constantly update their local front
ends after design modifications have been made. This can be difficult when
the user is not physically available for me to do the update. (I need access
to their computer and password.)

 

[boblarson]

Actually, updating the front end could be easier than you think. I have a
tool on my website that will let you turn any frontend into an auto updating
frontend. If you work on the master and then change the version numbers, it
will automatically update to the new front end for users when they open their
current frontend. It will tell them that their frontend is out of date and
will close, delete the old, copy the new, and reopen automatically for them.

You can get it here:

http://www.btabdevelopment.com/main/AccessTools/tabid/78/Default.aspx

Be sure to read the instructions carefully (they are on that page in a Word
document as well).

--
Bob Larson
Access World Forums Super Moderator
Utter Access VIP
Tutorials at http://www.btabdevelopment.com
If my post was helpful to you, please rate the post.
__________________________________

 

[boblarson]

One other thing to check is that there is a setting (not sure which version
you are using so post back if you can't find this) that is on TOOLS > OPTIONS

ADVANCED and then the DEFAULT OPEN MODE and it should be checked as SHARED

for each user. If one user has EXCLUSIVE checked, it can muck everything up
and that is a PER USER setting, not a per database setting.

--
Bob Larson
Access World Forums Super Moderator
Utter Access VIP
Tutorials at http://www.btabdevelopment.com
If my post was helpful to you, please rate the post.
__________________________________

 

[Tony Toews [MVP]]

I do not want to get into splitting this database. Only 2 users are using
it. I could do it but it requires me to constantly update their local front
ends after design modifications have been made. This can be difficult when
the user is not physically available for me to do the update.

However you really want to put the FE on each machine or place in a
user specific directory on the server. This will help avoid some
weird error messages when users are changing the same forms record
source, filters and such as well as corruptions. It is also much
easier to implement a new version of the database with changed
queries, forms, reports and VBA code.

I specifically created the Auto FE Updater utility so that I could
make changes to the FE MDE as often as I wanted and be quite confident
that the next time someone went to run the app that it would pull in
the latest version. For more info on the errors or the Auto FE
Updater utility see the free Auto FE Updater utility at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/autofe.htm at my website to keep the
FE on each PC up to date.

In a Terminal Server or Citrix environment the Auto FE Updater now
supports creating a directory named after the user on a server. Given
a choice put the FE on the Citrix server to reduce network traffic and
to avoid having to load objects over the network which can be somewhat
sluggish.

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
Tony's Microsoft Access Blog - http://msmvps.com/blogs/access/