Multi-user database and design changes

[smaumau]

My database is on a shared server and many people are able to access the database at any time. What would be the best method to create a way for me to make design changes, etc. without having to make sure everyone is out of the file to allow me to open exclusively?

 

[KeithG]

Have you consider break it up into FE and BE?

 

[smaumau]

Fe/be

How do I go about doing that?

 

[smaumau]

Fe/be

Would I then be able to change and replace the front end after I make my changes? How does this prevent having to make sure no one is in the file?

 

[KeithG]

Basically you split your database into two. The BE is all the tables and the FE is all of the forms reports .

 

[smaumau]

Continued

Would I not still have to make sure nobody is in the Front End before I could open-exclusive and make changes?

 

[simon mills]

We've had a similar problem here. What we did was to put a "locking" button on the database with all the data in it. Then we set up a lookup database, which was exactly the same as the main one, but had link tables. The main database would then export a simple, small table when the "locking" button was pressed. This locking table goes to the lookup database and is looked at on a timer every 10mins or so. If the tables says "lock" then the look up database triggers code that gives a warning the database will close in 5 mins and then after the 5mins is up the database closes by closing all open forms and then using sendkeys to close down. When they try to reload, if the "Lock" command is still on the table it trggers a msgbox to say try later. That way you can lock and unlock the database at your leisure and make the changes you want.

Sorry if this post is confusing, Im rushing now as Im off to a meeting.