[AccessD] Upsizing (was: Desperately Seeking!)

Arthur Fuller artful at rogers.com
Fri May 2 20:07:33 CDT 2003


Well here we go into uncharted waters. Certain publications by MS suggest
that unbound forms are the way to go. I vigourously dispute this. I think
that bound forms tied to sprocs are the way to go. Then you can sidestep a
zillion unbound-form problems. But here I go proselitizing bound forms when
that was not my original intention.

IMO, and that's all it is, I don't claim expertise only experience, bind
your forms to sprocs. Recently I learned a cool trick which lets me pass
arguments like "All", "All" to various forms, reports &c. Everything works
from sprocs. Recordsets open their stuff pessismistically. This is a simple
argument to the rs.Open method. Let intelliSense do your typing :-)

IME you're far better off to go with boound forms and pessimistic logic than
unbound disconnected recordsets, given the logic of your scenario. Which I
would question, but that's a side issue.


-----Original Message-----
From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
[mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Dan Waters
Sent: May 2, 2003 4:18 PM
To: accessd at databaseadvisors.com
Subject: RE: [AccessD] Upsizing (was: Desperately Seeking!)


Arthur,

The databases I design typically handle some type of QA process in a
manufacturing environment.  One of the advantages of using an electronic
system over a paper form system is the ability for people to work
(almost) in parallel - which leads to the real occurrence of simultaneous
updates.  So, I always use pessimistic locking, and on the one process where
people felt slowed down, I installed a timer on that form so that it closed
after 5 minutes with no activity, releasing the locks on the table (that was
in A97).

I am starting to look at upsizing this db to SQL 2000.  From what I
understand, I may not be able to use pessimistic locking the same way that I
did in AXP.  

If this is the case, what is the best way to duplicate the pessimistic
locking behavior of AXP in SQL 2K?

Thanks,
Dan Waters


-----Original Message-----
From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
[mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Arthur Fuller
Sent: Friday, May 02, 2003 12:27 PM
To: accessd at databaseadvisors.com
Subject: RE: [AccessD] Desperately Seeking!


<rant>
I don't feel like rekindling any bound/unbound wars, so instead I'll try
another tack. The problem is disconnected recordsets, which are very cool if
the liklihood of simultaneous updates of a row is remote. In fact, it's not
so much a database problem as a business practices problem, IMO. What the
hell are two people updating the same row for? There's a problem here and it
doesn't concern the database; it concerns the workflow, which by definition
is outside the specifications. OTOH, excellent arguments from the db folk
occasionally persuade management that the problem is indeed outside the db,
and should be addressed by someone other than you. </rant>

<reality>
Given that you must prevent simultaneous updates of a set of rows, and given
that you have taken the unbound path, without a massive rewrite I think your
quickest option is to revisit all the recordset declarations, setting
Pessimism TRUE in your rs.open() arguments. This effectively offloads the
problem to the db, which is good, since it won't allow your users to
overwrite each other even if your app in theory does. (That's why I always
put all the smarts into sprocs and rules and such, rather than coding them
in Access. Then, even if your app is buggy, it doesn't
matter:-) Lock it all down with pessimistic recordsets and go from there.
You can probably visit every occurenece with a project-wide search, and
paste the revised string in. </reality>

<fantasy>
I'm having difficulty coming up with an example where multiple users would
want to update the same rows. A wife and husband are both phoning to
complain about a VISA charge? Three employees are calling from Client X to
revise the purchase quantities in the details of OrderID 2345?

Multiple people updating identical rows = a workflow problem, IMO. In a
well-designed workflow, this should never occur.

Making this point at your next meeting, you are given a 100% salary boost,
several opportunities for sex with strangers, and the pleasure of watching
the entire organization reconfigure itself to your insights. Suddenly they
appreciate how brilliant you are and shape their enterprise around you.
Billions at stake, all on your mind. </fantasy>

Arthur

-----Original Message-----
From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
[mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Marcus Tewksbury
Sent: May 2, 2003 10:16 AM
To: accessd at databaseadvisors.com
Subject: [AccessD] Desperately Seeking!


Can Anyone Help Me?

I have built a client server application using .adp front end and SQL Server
back end.  Within the application itself I use unbound forms and retrieve
records using ADO recordsets at run time.  The way I have initially deployed
the application is to copy an instance of the .adp to each desktop and run
it locally.  The problem has been that people keep overwriting each other's
updates - and changes are not reflected fast enough.

I have a couple of different thoughts on how to tackle this - either ratchet
down the ODBC refresh rate, or run a single, centralized copy of the .adp
(which throws up some non-updateable warning every time it starts which I
don't know how to suppress).  Of course, I acknowledge that I am a total
newbie, and both of these options may be flawed.

Thanks a bunch,

- Sherri





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