Networking

[Digby]

Hi,
I have done a basic application, just something for people to access information, Its designed for a call centre and about 20 stations will be runing the app at any given time.

They are all connected on a LAN, how can I network them, also i need people to be able to update the information and each user needs acurute upto date info. So when they change data at one station this needs to be shown to any user running the app.

The network currently uses Citrix Program Neighbourhood, can I use this to network the app?

Cheers

 

[Rickster57]

Citrix

At a previous job the compnay was on the Citrix Neighborhood and did have an Access database on it which users would use..but not as many as 20 people. This was controlled by a contracting company so I can't give you any specifics...just know that it did work.

 

[Digby]

I had carried out multiple searches on Google and Alta Vista for things such as "Citrix Neighbourhood" with no success. I have since had another thought.

Since the end users are not working when admin are, and admin are the only people that will change any data on the app, the end user's simply view data. Can I not have all the tables held on one database, and then everytime any one opens the application it just copies the tables from the main one, and when admin make changes they can just save their data to the main one? I just want to know if that makes sense and seems possible, If so I will give it a good try myself, I find by playing about with it I learn a lot so no answers please lol

cheers guys

 

[iangirven]

Digby,
Im not sure how the citrix network works but i have networked my database over a standard netwrok with no problem.
I created a backend to hold the data, which is kept in a netwrok folder that has the correct permissions for people to access. Each front end is loaded locally and then linked to the tables in the backend.

There are probably about 100 front ends at different locations on the network that can have users 25 miles apart. However there are only usually about 15 users on at anyone time.

There has been a few problems with it but nothing good housekeeping can sort out and its currently about 60mb in size.

Like I said i dont know if this is any use as its not citrix but hope its some use.

regards

Ian

 

[Digby]

Cheers,

I think that is the sort of thing I was trying to say, the only thing is I would get the table to copy the data to the frontend everytime.

Its just would I not have to put the address in for everything that accessed data from the tables, ie when a form calls data from a table I would have to enter its location in, and this would take ages as there are loads of forms. Simply due to the type of application it is. It is simply for people to view data, telephone numbers, address' etc.

Whereas if I just put a macro in that runs on startup and it copies data from the store to the front end would this not work seemlessly?

Sorry hope this all makes sense?

 

[iangirven]

Digby,

My understanding of your situation is that you want the data to be dynamic and available to other users as soon as its been updated. If your copying from a master, updating the data then pasting it back the data other users see may not be as upto date as possible. Additionally i can foresee problems if with putting the data back into the original place, especially with more than one user.

if you have a backend containing all the data you can link to it from teh front end database. This only needs to be set up once and is quite quick to do using the link table part of access. Once set up the users wont know any difference.
My users are linking this way to a database some 60mb in size without any major problems. of course the efficiency of this depends upon the quality of the network connections you have.

hope this helps,

regards
ian

 

[Digby]

Ok,

I will look into linking, its ok for only one person to edit the data at one time, and this will be done in office hours and the end users will use it out of office hours so update is irrelivant.

I have a main menu and set of forms for the end users, they can only vies the data, I have a log on form and when they enter the correct password it opens the user main menu.

Whereas when admin log on it opens AdminMainMenu which links a different set of forms for them to enter data.

I was going to just edit the log on so that when admin log in it opens the backend which has there forms, and when users log it it copies all the tables from the back end and all their forms. I did not see a problem with this I have spoken with management and they said its fine for only one person to edit the data at a time, I undersand that it will become one persons job to update between 9-5. Its for an out of hours company so end users are only there out of hours so there should be no conflict with update as admin have left work before end users start.

Do you think its best to leave this idea behind and link them? I was hesitant about linking as i thought i would have to put an address in each form, there are aprox 60 forms! Which obviously put me off as i will not have the addres until i install it!

Thank you for all your help

 

[iangirven]

networking

Digby,

I guess its now down to what you feel comfortable working with. in the situation you have I cant see any real problems as such.

From your last post I assume that your current setup is working fine. If this is the case, and due to the limited updateing, I am reminded of that well known phrase "If it aint broke dont fix it".

Im not an expert in this field and have no experience with Citrix what so ever, so please consider that in deciding upon your options.

Im sure in someone else will be able to offer more comprehensive information on networking with Citrix.

Sorry I couldnt be of any more help.
best of luck
regards
Ian

 

[Digby]

Ian,

After playing with it I have learnt to link the tables and to split the app, and to be honest both are a lot lot simpler than my idea, I just thought it would be a lot harder, im going to split it! If all works over the network it should be very good, the network cover over 70 miles, its actually an NHS network lol

 

[iangirven]

networking

Digby,

nice one. best of luck setting it up. just to let you know my database is networked in another public sector. Granted the distance from the server to the local machine isnt any more than about 25 miles. The only problems I have encountered with performance are at those locations where the network connection wasnt as good, so i would be surprised if you have any problems.

Just ensure wherever you store the backend that the users have the appropriate access rights or the database wont work for them.

regards

Ian

 

[groovyjoker]

Backend security

Just ensure wherever you store the backend that the users have the appropriate access rights or the database wont work for them.

regards

Ian

I think this is my problem. Although I have set user and Admin permissions in both the Backend and frontend and Master copies, my Region cannot access the database. The switchboard pops up on their frontend, after which a message appears generally saying it is unable to locate the backend file, and to make sure the "passname is spelled correctly and that you are connected to the server in which the file resides."

I have been unable to locate this error message on Microsoft Help. I have refreshed my links, and moved locations of my files. I have reset security (lowered it) and I have also split the database again, both manual and with the wizard. I am at a loss, and even worse, our IT knows nothing about Access.

Any clues? I suspect this is related to user permissions, but I am not sure how to tweak it.

 

[iangirven]

I have had this message several times with different users on different machines. Generally it has been either down to incorrect permissions being set or a problem with the access installation.

The first was resolved by making sure the access permissions were correct for the full route along the path not just the end folder. eg if the database is in subfolder "A" which is in a folder lets say called "main" on your server and the permissions have only been set for the subfolder the user wont be able to gain access.

The second was resolved by reinstalling MS Office suite with all the MS Access options chosen then reinstall the database and link its tables. This one only seemed to occur were the PCs had NT4 and Office 2000 installed.

hope this helps

regards
ian

 

[Digby]

Hello,

Things have changed significantly in my progress as I learn more and more, it has got to the point where im starting afresh!

Im not going to use the user security as its not worth it for me, im not storing confidential data, i have a simple log on form which will load on open, user enters password, there will only be two users of it any way, user and admin, there are 5 people who will log on as admin, able to edit data, and 100 or so that will log on as user. As admin use a different set of forms to enter data (tabular) in the forms users see (columar with a combo to show the record they want) i have locked the txt boxes. So they can not edit it, admin are all pretty much computer iliterate so they have no access to anythin important just another set of forms, but I do not want any little punk screwing my db up!

My problem is back end security, front end is covered i just need a button to enable/disable Shift when opening.

I read somwhere on here someone put a db password on the backend, they gave the code so that the front end would be able to access it, has any one got this as i can not find it, sorry for the drabble!

 

[iangirven]

backend security

Digby

I dont use workgroups and the like as i dont fully understand them yet.
However in the backend i have an admin table conaining user id and paswords for those allowed to enter it. the backend contains 1 form which is the login password form that is basically a copy of the one i posted earlier but referring to the admin table.

I also added some code so that if an invalid password is entered i am emailed the fact that entry wasnt granted. I havent got this to hand so cant post the code i used for automated email.

This deteres most users but not those in the know. It is still possible for someone to create their own db and import the tables from the backend to get access to the data but ive not had any problems with that.

hope this helps

regards

ian

 

[Digby]

Does this mean they can not edit the data via the backend without the password? and can the front end still edit it? I like that idea as it does not matter if they import data, as long as its not corruptable i dont care if they steal it!

 

[iangirven]

backend security

Basically thats it in a nutshell. It wont stop a determined user from getting but with the bypass key disabled as well it seems to work quite well. Ive been running a split db with this security on the backend for 5 years and not had any probs with it.

Additionally you can set the backend db properties not to show the db window so if someone does get in by accident they wont see the tables.

regards

ian