Users can't open database? (1 Viewer)

[Rogue Programme]

Hi all

I've made some changes to my existing database (v1.4) but now my users can't open the new version (v1.5). The database is split and I have relinked. The message they are getting is that they are trying to open exclusively or they don't have permission to open.

I don't understand why all of sudden it's doing this, I've only made small changes, which shouldn't effect my users' access to the database?

Changes I have made:

1. Made the combo boxes 'limit to list'
2. Locked fields
3. New command button to unlock fields for editing

Any ideas why this would be happening?

Access 97
Cheers
Mike

 

[Simon_MT]

I would check your permissions on the Front End database and the folder it is contained in and if anyone is accessing the back end exclusively.

Simon

 

[Rogue Programme]

The next morning it worked fine. Thanks for your reply Simon.

Mike

 

[DCrake]

As a matter of interest Does each user have their own front end on their machine or are they attempting to open a shared front end location on a shared server?

David

 

[Rogue Programme]

The latter.

Mike

 

[DCrake]

You cannot do any development work on a mdb that is open by someone else at the same time. You need exclusivity to make changes. So you would need everyone to be out of the system whilst you made the changes. More imortantly is the database split? By that I mean Front end Back End, Tables in one mdb and everything else in another?

In reality you should have 1 mdb that contains only the tables, this should be placed in a shared location. Then each user is given a copy of the Front end which is installed locally on each machine. The front end is linked to the backed via the link tables manager.

Any wavering from this approach can and will lead to corruption not only the frontend but the data which is more critical.

David

 

[Rogue Programme]

Hi David, yes the database is split. The back end holds the tables and the front end has everything else.

I'll look into giving the users their own front end. is this just a case of the users taking a copy of the front end and storing it on their own drive?

What about when i want to make changes to the front end, would they have to do this each time I make a change?

Thanks for the advice David.

Mike

 

[irish634]

I have one database here at work where everyone has a copy of the front end stored on their local PC. This "user" front-end is converted to an MDE file so the users cannot make design changes, etc. Most users also only have Access Runtime installed so they can't get to anything anyway.

I am the only one with the development copy of the front end. I keep this an MDB file of course.

What about when i want to make changes to the front end, would they have to do this each time I make a change?

The simplest answer to this question is yes, but I believe the most efficient way is to use Bob Larson's Front-End Auto Update Utility. I make my changes, update the master file and revision tables, then the next time a user opens their front-end and it's the out dated version, the utility automatically copies the current front-end to the user's PC.

So you only have to distribute the front-end the first time.

I did make a few tweaks to Bob's code to safe guard against main file deletion and making sure to check the link to the back-end first, but other than that, it works flawlessly.

To answer your original question that user's can't open the DB:
When I came to work here, there was one DB file that everyone was trying to get into (Stored on the network). The first user could double-click on the file to open it. If the first user still had the DB open and subsequent users tried to double click the file, it would not open. It had to be opened via File --> Open. Not the preferred way, but it could be opened. Not 100% related to your issue, I guess.

That was the VERY first thing I corrected, because there is quite a bit of data and I cringed to think of file corruption. Also, it made me wonder how they got away with it for so long.

Anyhow, look into Bob's utility. You won't be sorry once you use it.

Hope this helps,
Craig

 

[Rogue Programme]

Cheers Craig, thanks for the comprehensive reply.

I'll be giving everyone a copy of the front end for them to store localy. I'll also be adopting the front end auto update utility.

Thanks again

Mike