Updating Frontends

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I have a program running for our Facilities department with 10 users. When I
first put it together and started using it I was constantly updating the
frontend. I would make changes and call every one that I had made changes
and they would have to replace their frontends. I was wearing out my phone
so I used DOS to make a batch file that used a "XCOPY" and a desktop icon to
open the frontend so every time the user clicked on the desktop icon it
copied a fresh copy from the server and I was not having to make calls all
the time. This seems to work. Are there any better ways to do it?
 
Tom said:
I have a program running for our Facilities department with 10 users.
When I first put it together and started using it I was constantly
updating the frontend. I would make changes and call every one that
I had made changes and they would have to replace their frontends. I
was wearing out my phone so I used DOS to make a batch file that used
a "XCOPY" and a desktop icon to open the frontend so every time the
user clicked on the desktop icon it copied a fresh copy from the
server and I was not having to make calls all the time. This seems to
work. Are there any better ways to do it?
Click to expand...

Tony Toews has an AutoUpdater that would only update the file if it had
changed and I use another Access app that uses version number tables in the
front end and back end. These have the advantage in that the file is only
replaced when it needs to be replaced, but if your file is small and the
time to replace it is just a few seconds then doing what you are now should
be fine.

I actually do this on one of my Terminal server apps because it has a
GigaBit Ethernet between itself and the server where I publish my app
revisions. The copy is so quick that I don't bother to check the revision
any longer for that one.
 
I used to include the xcopy in the users' login scripts with the /d switch
(and specifying the paths, etc.) so that it would copy the frontend .mdb file
only if newer.

It may be risky in terms of network latency, but you can also just put a
shortcut on each user's desktop to the front end on the server. This
simplifies distribution but can add some network latency issues.
 
It may be risky in terms of network latency, but you can also just put a
shortcut on each user's desktop to the front end on the server. This
simplifies distribution but can add some network latency issues.
Click to expand...

NO, you can't do that. You do NOT want multiple users into the same front
end.

Imainge for a minute that out of all the users in your buidling, ONE USER
has a probelm with word, and hte rest all then get taken down!!!

The fact of the matter is that you install WORD on EACH computer, and thus
when ONE computer has aprobem, you don't blow out everyone else.

The same concpets, and ideas applies to when you deploy a appliation that
your team of software deveopers made using ms-access. You MUST ensure that
EACH user gets their OWN copy. Be it word, or your cool applciaton, they
MUST be installed on EACH computer for reliable operation.

Remember, you can most certainly share a word document, or a mdb data
document on the server. When you double click on word, the APPLICATION PART
get loaded FIRST, and that application part is installed on EACH computer.
So, that application part (be it word, or your cool application) needs to be
installed on your computer. Failure to do this will result in un-reliable
operation, and in fact is one reason why we split.
 
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