Updating database

[John]

Hi,
I have compiled a database in Access and it appears to be working quite
well.The client is about 50miles away and requires simple changes from time
to time....eg an additional option added to a combo box.Is there any way I
can send them a cd with an executable they can run which will update their
version (Office Access 2003) without affecting the existing data. Is there
some other smarter method I could use to achieve this. I accept this is a
bit of a lame question but its a new area of access for me, with which I am
unfamiliar. Tia John

 

[Douglas J Steele]

Your application should be split into a front-end (containing the queries,
forms, reports, macros and modules), linked to a back-end (containing the
tables). Only the back-end should be on the server: each user should have
his/her own copy of the front-end, preferably on their hard drive.

If you have a copy of the back-end (which doesn't even need to contain
"real" data) while you're doing development, you can make the necessary
changes to the front-end, and simply replace everyone's existing front-end
with your new one.

Tony Toews has a free Auto FE utility available at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/autofe.htm that simplifies ensuring that all
users are using the correct version of the front-end.

 

[John]

Thanks Douglas that worked great......only problem is that post split I am
not sure which is the Front End(prolly .mdb) and which is the back end and
where it is.The database stills works fine and I can see the link arrows in
the tables view......but the .mdb is now about 10% of what it was and I cant
find the records eventhough they obviously exist somewhere. What would their
suffix file name be so I can search. John

 

[Douglas J. Steele]

Both the front-end and back-end will be MDBs (although you can always
convert the front-end to an MDE if you want to prevent the users from making
design changes).

If you used the built-in database splitter, I believe the back-end is
typically has _be in its name: if your application was MyApp.mdb, your
backend will be MyApp_be.mdb.