Multiple Users Copying Front-end Simultaneously

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Matt - 14 Apr 2004 20:01 GMT

Hi

I have an Access 2000 database that is shared on a Novell server among about 20 Win2000/AccessXP users, each of whom has a copy of the front-end on his or her own machine.

To ensure that the users are working with the most up-to-date version of the front-end, I've recently given every user a WSH script that, prior to launching the database, copies the current front-end from its server location onto the user's local hard drive (i.e., regardless of whether or not the front-end actually needs to be updated)

The more elegant way to handle this would be to have some kind of version-checking mechanism. Until I have the time to figure out how to do this, are there negative ramifications to the set-up I have described, blindly recopying the file each time it is opened? If multiple people launch the database simultaneously, does it harm the "master" front-end file if it is being copied by multiple users simultaneously? In case it matters at all, the front-end is about 1.5M

Any input would be greatly appreciated

Matt

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Jeff Conrad - 14 Apr 2004 20:58 GMT

Hi Matt,

I do not have experience personally with your situation, but MVP Tony Toews has just the thing for
you. He has a utility that will do the same thing ONLY if a newer version is present on the server.
You can read all about it and download the file here:

http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/autofe.htm

Good luck.

Signature

Jeff Conrad
Access Junkie
Bend, Oregon
Install the latest Windows Updates:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/security_bulletins/200404_windows.asp

> Hi,
>
> I have an Access 2000 database that is shared on a Novell server among about 20 Win2000/AccessXP users, each of whom has a copy of the front-end on his or her own machine.
>
> To ensure that the users are working with the most up-to-date version of the front-end, I've recently given every user a WSH script that, prior to launching the database, copies the current

front-end from its server location onto the user's local hard drive (i.e., regardless of whether or
not the front-end actually needs to be updated).

> The more elegant way to handle this would be to have some kind of version-checking mechanism. Until I have the time to figure out how to do this, are there negative ramifications to the set-up I

have described, blindly recopying the file each time it is opened? If multiple people launch the
database simultaneously, does it harm the "master" front-end file if it is being copied by multiple
users simultaneously? In case it matters at all, the front-end is about 1.5M.

> Any input would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Matt

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david epsom dot com dot au - 15 Apr 2004 05:50 GMT

It is possible to create scripts that either (a) require an exclusive lock
to do the copy, or (b) sometimes copy only up to the first EOF character
in the file.

In fact, i think 'xcopy' was a type (a) copy, and 'copy' was a type (b)
copy.

Be aware, no alarmed.

(david)

> Hi,
>
> I have an Access 2000 database that is shared on a Novell server among about 20 Win2000/AccessXP users, each of whom has a copy of the front-end on

his or her own machine.

> To ensure that the users are working with the most up-to-date version of the front-end, I've recently given every user a WSH script that, prior to

launching the database, copies the current front-end from its server
location onto the user's local hard drive (i.e., regardless of whether or
not the front-end actually needs to be updated).

> The more elegant way to handle this would be to have some kind of version-checking mechanism. Until I have the time to figure out how to do

this, are there negative ramifications to the set-up I have described,
blindly recopying the file each time it is opened? If multiple people launch
the database simultaneously, does it harm the "master" front-end file if it
is being copied by multiple users simultaneously? In case it matters at all,
the front-end is about 1.5M.

> Any input would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Matt

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Tim Ferguson - 15 Apr 2004 20:04 GMT

"=?Utf-8?B?TWF0dA==?=" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
news:2ADCCE05-41EF-4107-BA0D-A57F8017D3A5@microsoft.com:

> The more elegant way to handle this would be to have some kind of
> version-checking mechanism.

The FileSystemObject has a File object which allows you to inspect the
Creation date of the files. The LastUpdated date will reflect the last time
the user opened it, but AFAIK the Creation date should not change.

Hope that helps

Tim F

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