questions re: split access 2000 db

[Guest]

Hi everyone!

1. I plan on splitting a database stored on a network that will be accessed
by 10 people. Are there any "surprises" or does the wizard do a good job?

2. Can different users use different versions of access (some computers
have 2000 installed, others 2002, and yet others 2003).

3. Our "I.T." department said access does not like to be split. Is this
true? How do you know when you need to migrate something higher?

4. One last question, why cannot make an mde file? This option is not
available (I did not create the database, just inherited it).

Thanks...sorry for so many questions.
Donna

 

[John Vinson]

Hi everyone!

1. I plan on splitting a database stored on a network that will be accessed
by 10 people. Are there any "surprises" or does the wizard do a good job?

A couple of issues: the database splitter wizard and the Access
switchboard wizard must have been in different classes at wizard
school, since the switchboard requires a local table, but the splitter
exports the table to the backend. You'll need to reimport it (it's
usually named just Switchboard). You should also be certain that your
network is fast and stable - Access can be VERY demanding of network
resources. Finally, use Network Neighborhood rather than a mapped
drive to store the backend (or use Tools... Database Utilities...
Linked Table Manager to relink all of the tables to a computer found
through Network Neighborhoot); this will use \\server\path\database
rather than Q:\path\database, removing drive letter variation from the
list of problems.

2. Can different users use different versions of access (some computers
have 2000 installed, others 2002, and yet others 2003).

Make the backend and frontend in A2000 format; all three versions
default to this format and handle it well.

3. Our "I.T." department said access does not like to be split. Is this
true? How do you know when you need to migrate something higher?

Your I.T. department should get a clue. They can find several of them
at http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/splitapp.html. In short, they are
flat wrong. There is another FAQ at Tony's site regarding upsizing to
SQL, but it's not a task for the fainthearted.

4. One last question, why cannot make an mde file? This option is not
available (I did not create the database, just inherited it).

You must make an MDE file in the same version of the database as the
version of Access that you're running; that is, if the database is in
A2000 format, you should be running Access2000 to make a .mde file (if
you want your A2000 colleagues to be able to use it). The database
must also compile without errors - Ctrl-G to get into the VBA editor
and Debug... Compile to be sure that there are none.

John W. Vinson[MVP]

 

[Jeff Conrad]

in message:

A couple of issues: the database splitter wizard and the Access
switchboard wizard must have been in different classes at wizard
school, since the switchboard requires a local table, but the splitter
exports the table to the backend. You'll need to reimport it (it's
usually named just Switchboard).

John,

FYI, the Switchboard Manager did require the table to be a local
table in order for the wizard to work in 97, but since 2000 that issue
was changed and now the wizard will run whether the table is local
or linked.

 

[Guest]

Thanks so much! Your input really helped...

Donna

 

[John Vinson]

FYI, the Switchboard Manager did require the table to be a local
table in order for the wizard to work in 97, but since 2000 that issue
was changed and now the wizard will run whether the table is local
or linked.

Thanks, Jeff! I didn't realize that. I "roll my own" switchboards
(using a Listbox of all the available options) rather than the wizard
switchboard; but I'll remember that there's one fewer reasons not to
use the Wizard.

John W. Vinson[MVP]

 

[Jeff Conrad]

in message:

Thanks, Jeff! I didn't realize that. I "roll my own" switchboards
(using a Listbox of all the available options) rather than the wizard
switchboard;

Yes I know, I have a copy. Very cool by the way.

but I'll remember that there's one fewer reasons not to
use the Wizard.

<g>