Compacting and backing up database on exit

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CAD Fiend - 11 Jul 2005 02:12 GMT

Hello,

I am turning a database over to a group of individuals that I KNOW will
not be faithfully compacting the database often enough, and in addition,
I'd like to be able to have it so that after every 5 times (I'd also
like to be able to change this number if need be) the database will
create a backup of itself.

Also, I've heard that it is not GOOD practice to compact the database
while it is still open. So, what is the code (I'm assuming it would
have to be some type of EXE written in C++ or VB, right) that would have
to be written? I thought that a Macro COULD be written, but am wrong on
that one. You cannot run any macro w/o the file it's tied to already
open.

The database file is called ReefMain.mdb. If that helps. The file will
sit on C:\Projects\Reef\Data. If that helps.

TIA

Phil.

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Alex Dybenko - 11 Jul 2005 06:23 GMT

Hi Phil,
if you have a BE and FE structure - then you dont need to backup FE, only BE
in order to compact BE you need to have BE file not in use. I normally do
this on startup - better chance to have nobody openeed BE.
here something to read:
http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/ufad.htm

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Alex Dybenko (MVP)
http://Alex.Dybenko.com
http://www.PointLtd.com

> Hello,
>
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>
> Phil.

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CAD Fiend - 11 Jul 2005 07:12 GMT

Hi Alex,

No, I do not have a BE/FE structure. I am just learning now how to create the
database, and don't know ANYTHING about setting a BE/FE structure, YET. I know
that it has many benefits, but we don't have any security issues with the people
that will be inputting into the database. I guess you can tell by my answer(s)
that I'm VERY new to this, and some of what I say may seem elementary. I've got
a lot to learn BEFORE I step into that (the BE/FE) arena, I think.

I don't know what the other advantages of a BE/FE structure are (YET), but for
now all I want to do is make SURE that they (the users) do a back up and compact
the database every now and then. What would you recomend for that simple(?)
request?

But I appreciate your advice, and if you have anything to add to my question
(now that you know how "little" I really know) I'd most certainly appreciate it!

And I will read up on what your link for sure.

Thanks.

Phil

> Hi Phil,
> if you have a BE and FE structure - then you dont need to backup FE, only BE
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> >
> > Phil.

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Alex Dybenko - 11 Jul 2005 16:38 GMT

Hi Phil,
first of all i am really recommend you to switch to BE/FE structure.
as for current structure - then only way i see - is to ask all users to
close DB after use (you can find a code to force this after period of
inactivity, see link i posted) and then run backup/compact at bight at a
schedule job (you can setup this with win XP very easy)

Signature

Alex Dybenko (MVP)
http://Alex.Dybenko.com
http://www.PointLtd.com

> Hi Alex,
>
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>> >
>> > Phil.

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CAD Fiend - 11 Jul 2005 18:46 GMT

Hi Alex,

OK. Sounds like I should get on board with BE/FE soon, like NOW. So, other than
a Google Search (which is fine with me, except you know I'll get a lot of hits
to go through), can you recomend a good book and/or (better yet) website that
goes into this "simple" concept fairly well so I can get started quickly on this
effort?

As far as doing it with XP, I don't think all of the people who will be handling
this will have XP, but they WILL have at least Win2000 for sure. Can you do
what you're talking about with Win2000? And what are the key words that I
should use when I do a search (I'm assuming that there is a tutorial or help
file on how to do this action) for the action, or is there a direct file
location to do this?

Thanks for your patience, Alex.

Phil.

> Hi Phil,
> first of all i am really recommend you to switch to BE/FE structure.
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> >> >
> >> > Phil.

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Alex Dybenko - 11 Jul 2005 20:53 GMT

Hi Phil,
i made a blog post explaining the process, hope it will help you
http://alexdyb.blogspot.com/2005/07/how-to-split-database-into-be-and-fe.html

Concept should work on any windows version

Signature

Alex Dybenko (MVP)
http://Alex.Dybenko.com
http://www.PointLtd.com

> Hi Alex,
>
[quoted text clipped - 115 lines]
>> >> >
>> >> > Phil.

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CAD Fiend - 11 Jul 2005 21:11 GMT

Thanks Alex, I will check it out!

> Hi Phil,
> i made a blog post explaining the process, hope it will help you
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> >> >> >
> >> >> > Phil.

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Douglas J. Steele - 11 Jul 2005 23:05 GMT

Tony Toews has information at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/splitapp/index.htm as well.

Signature

Doug Steele, Microsoft Access MVP
http://I.Am/DougSteele
(no e-mails, please!)

> Thanks Alex, I will check it out!
>
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>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > Phil.

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Alex Dybenko - 12 Jul 2005 12:17 GMT

Thanks Doug,
i remeber Tony have it somewhere, but did not find

Alex

> Tony Toews has information at
> http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/splitapp/index.htm as well.
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>>> >> >> >
>>> >> >> > Phil.

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CAD Fiend - 12 Jul 2005 20:56 GMT

As I understand it, I can put the table in a Shared Folder on the server, and then
copy the Forms, Queries, Reports, and put them on EACH workstation, correct? What
about if I have any Macros? What will be the files and their respective extensions?

The table (there is only one) name is tbl_Main, the form is frm_Main, and there are
many queries, but for example.

Two questions:
1 - Will MORE than one user to access the form at the SAME time?

2 - I KNOW that they (the end users have a drive letter) named P (for their
projects). And that is where they will put the tables for the B/E. I've heard that
it is good practice to try to keep using the same drive letters when you passing
database files around (TRUE or FALSE?). I've also heard that you can create a
psuedo-drive letter (like P) on your local drive to address this. What is that
procedure called? Do you (or anyone else out there listening) know how to do this?
Do I even NEED to do this?

TIA.

Phil.

> Thanks Doug,
> i remeber Tony have it somewhere, but did not find
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> >>> >> >> >
> >>> >> >> > Phil.

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Douglas J. Steele - 13 Jul 2005 01:00 GMT

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

Since the forms exist in the front-end, you'll never have users sharing the
same form concurrently (although they might try to access the same data in
the tables concurrently)

In my opinion, unless you can can be guaranteed that each user is mapped the
same way, your linkages to the back-end should be done using UNCs
(\\server\share\folder\file.mdb) rather than x:\folder\file.mdb (where the
x: drive is mapped to \\server\share)

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Doug Steele, Microsoft Access MVP
http://I.Am/DougSteele
(no e-mails, please!)

> As I understand it, I can put the table in a Shared Folder on the server,
> and then
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>> >>> >> >> >
>> >>> >> >> > Phil.

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