Replication not working

[Jerry Porter]

I replicated a data mdb for two users managing a non-profit. The user
with replica added one record, and sent the replica mdb back to test.

When the user with the design master synchronized for the first time,
Access said it was successful, but the test record added in the replica
did not appear in the design master. Then we modified that record
locally and re-synchronized, and the record did appear in the design
master.

I had converted FE and BE from 2002 to 2000 (before replicating), since
one user (the one with the design master) has 2002 and the other 2000.

Do both users need to be using the same version of Access? Or can
anyone give me another explanation why the replication didn't work?

TIA

Jerry

 

[David W. Fenton]

I replicated a data mdb for two users managing a non-profit. The
user with replica added one record, and sent the replica mdb back
to test.

Well, there's your mistake right there -- you can't send replicas
around in email or on USB thumb drives or whatever. Once you start
entering data into a new replica, it has to stay there. You can only
synch in place.

If the two PCs can connect by LAN, this is extremely easy, as all
you have to do is go to the TOOLS menu, choose Replication and
Synchronize Now.

If you *can't* connect over a wired LAN (wireless is bad with
Access), then you need to use some form of indirect replication.
This is substantially more complex and would require a lot of
explanation. For a starting point, go to:

http://dfenton.com/DFA/Replication

and in the links listed on the title, go to "Resources for learning
about Jet Replication." Read through all the sources listed there
and then you should be equipped to embark on indirect replication.

When the user with the design master synchronized for the first
time, Access said it was successful, but the test record added in
the replica did not appear in the design master. Then we modified
that record locally and re-synchronized, and the record did appear
in the design master.

I had converted FE and BE from 2002 to 2000 (before replicating),
since one user (the one with the design master) has 2002 and the
other 2000.

Do both users need to be using the same version of Access? Or can
anyone give me another explanation why the replication didn't
work?

No. Replication is a JET technology, so all the matters is that the
back end be in a Jet 4 format.

But your problem is likely caused by the fact that you've attempted
to synchronize via illegal methods and have inadvertently created a
"dead replica."

 

[Jerry Porter]

Thanks for the information, David. I thought I had done my research
before I set it up... and I did use replication without a LAN several
years ago, proably with email, though that would have been with Access
97.

I've also found a previous post of yours, so I'll ook at VPN too.

Jerry

 

[David W. Fenton]

Thanks for the information, David. I thought I had done my
research before I set it up... and I did use replication without a
LAN several years ago, proably with email, though that would have
been with Access 97.

You can't use email to synchronizer replicated Jet databases. It
completely breaks the Jet replication model and eventually leads to
problems, if not ultimately to corruption and loss of the entire
replicated database.

I've also found a previous post of yours, so I'll ook at VPN too.

A VPN is only relevant if you're using indirect replication across
the Internet. It allows you to connect across the Internet as though
you're on the local network, but it doesn't do anything to enhance
the reliability or speed of the connection. WAN connections are not
usable for direct replication, because direct replication pulls the
whole remote replica across the wire and writes to it across the
wire. Any hiccups in this process can very easily corrupt your
remote replica.

If you have to use the Internet to exchange your information, your
only legal options are indirect and Internet replication.