Multiple .adp developers

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Ryan Langton - 18 May 2005 14:05 GMT

What is the best way for multiple developers to work on a single .adp? Can
we both edit the same networked file (does .adp have any built in locking)?
Or should each developer have their own .adp and just copy the
forms/modules/etc. that they work on back to a master .adp?

Ryan

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Alex White MCDBA MCSE - 18 May 2005 14:16 GMT

Divide up the work, someone work some bits and other work on other sections
and after testing the individual sections import into one ADP project.

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Regards

Alex White MCDBA MCSE
http://www.intralan.co.uk

> What is the best way for multiple developers to work on a single .adp?
> Can we both edit the same networked file (does .adp have any built in
> locking)? Or should each developer have their own .adp and just copy the
> forms/modules/etc. that they work on back to a master .adp?
>
> Ryan

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Ryan Langton - 18 May 2005 14:25 GMT

By import I'm assuming copy/paste into the master file will work (copy/paste
the form/module/etc), or is there some type of built in import function I
need to use?

Thanks,
Ryan

> Divide up the work, someone work some bits and other work on other
> sections and after testing the individual sections import into one ADP
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>>
>> Ryan

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Alex White MCDBA MCSE - 18 May 2005 14:35 GMT

You can use cut and paste but I would use the file/get external data/import
and select the objects you want to import.

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Regards

Alex White MCDBA MCSE
http://www.intralan.co.uk

> By import I'm assuming copy/paste into the master file will work
> (copy/paste the form/module/etc), or is there some type of built in import
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
>>>
>>> Ryan

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Philipp Stiefel - 18 May 2005 15:10 GMT

> What is the best way for multiple developers to work on a single
> .adp? Can we both edit the same networked file (does .adp have
> any built in locking)?

No, that doesn't work. It works (theoretically!) in a Access-MDB, but
even there you shouldn't do it. Every developer will interfere with
each others work.

> Or should each developer have their own
> .adp and just copy the forms/modules/etc. that they work on back
> to a master .adp?

That does work, but it's a major PITA.

My advice: Just spent the bucks and get a SCM-Tool (Software
Configuration Management) like Source Safe and put you code
there. Take a look at Vault (: http://www.sourcegear.com/vault/)
It looks very promising, works with Access(!) and ist quite
cheap. - But I haven't put it through a thorough test yet.

Everything other way of working on one project with multiple
developers is just crap. Been there, done that. - Never again!

cheers
Phil

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Access FAQs: http://www.mvps.org/faq/mvp_faq_links.htm#Access

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Vadim Rapp - 19 May 2005 12:52 GMT

Hello,
You wrote on Wed, 18 May 2005 16:10:11 +0200:

PS> "Ryan Langton" <langton@ci.manhattan.ks.us> wrote:

PS> No, that doesn't work. It works (theoretically!) in a Access-MDB, but
PS> even there you shouldn't do it. Every developer will interfere with
PS> each others work.

PS> That does work, but it's a major PITA.

PS> My advice: Just spent the bucks and get a SCM-Tool (Software
PS> Configuration Management) like Source Safe and put you code
PS> there. Take a look at Vault (: http://www.sourcegear.com/vault/)
PS> It looks very promising, works with Access(!) and ist quite
PS> cheap. - But I haven't put it through a thorough test yet.

I'm not sure how vault is going to help, given that adp is one file?

Office Developer has support of SourceSafe (and comes with SS itself, no
need to pay for Vault) ; I'm not sure if that would resovle the problem, but
it looks like what you need.

Vadim Rapp

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Philipp Stiefel - 20 May 2005 08:38 GMT

> PS> My advice: Just spent the bucks and get a SCM-Tool (Software
> PS> Configuration Management) like Source Safe and put you code
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>
> I'm not sure how vault is going to help, given that adp is one file?

Yes, it is going to help. (See below)

> Office Developer has support of SourceSafe (and comes with SS itself, no
> need to pay for Vault) ;

This is true, but I think one should be more precise.

There is an AddIn for Access that supports the MS-SCC-API. This AddIn
comes with the Developer Edition of Access XP (and previous versions).
The same AddIn for Access 2003 is available for free download at
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=2ea45ff4-a916-48c5-8f84
-44b91fa774bc&displaylang=en.

With this AddIn you can use any SMC-System that supports the SCC-API
from within Access. This applies to Source Safe, Vault as well as many
other products.

As the GUI-Integration in Access is provided by the AddIn, not by the
actual SCM-System there is almost no diffrence at all regarding the
look & feel of how you work with any SCM-System from within Access.

Of course Source Safe comes with the Developer Edition of Access, so
it is the obvious solution to that problem. For SCM-beginnners, a
single developer or small projects it may in fact be a real solution,
because it is quite simple and easy to use. But unfortunately Source
Safe is somewhat lacking as well. So if you're planning a serious
project I would definitely recommend to do some reaseach into that
matter, throw some money at the problem, and get a really good
solution. - It think Vault may be such a "good solution", but, as
mentioned before, I haven't investigated Vault enough to be sure
of this.

I wrote an overview on the intergraion of several SCM-Systems into
MS Access. It is only available in German so far, but nevertheless
it may be of interest to someone reading this thread, so the URL is
http://www.codekabinett.com/rdumps.php?targetDoc=ScmAcc

Phil

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Access FAQs: http://www.mvps.org/faq/mvp_faq_links.htm#Access

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as - 23 May 2005 08:15 GMT

Hi ,
I also need to get some knowledge on this. I do not have a file
versioning system like VSS out here to manage the adp application and I
do have multiple developers working on the same project. I use to
follow the copy , paste method to have a master ADP copy of the
application at the end of the day.

thanks
SD_

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Philipp Stiefel - 25 May 2005 13:10 GMT

> I also need to get some knowledge on this. I do not have a file
> versioning system like VSS out here to manage the adp
> application and I do have multiple developers working on the
> same project. I use to follow the copy , paste method to have a
> master ADP copy of the application at the end of the day.

Well, you may go on with this approach. But you'll have
either to be very strict on "who does what", wich will
slow you down, or there will (will, not may!) eventually
be conflicts caused by diffrent developers editing the
same file, wich may lead to serious bugfixing sessions.

A SCM-System will not by itself completely prevent these
problems for you, but it will help tremendously in solving
them!

There are free trials of many SCM-Products, so I would
recommend you get one of those and work with it as long
as the trial permits. Afterwards you can still continue
working without it if you like, but anyway you'll have
got gained some insight in how a SCM-System can help
you.

But be warned! After you did work with version-control
for a while you may quite likely never want to work
without it again!

best wishes
Phil

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