[AccessD] Access & Multiple Users

<<Most of these issues seem to be that they were previously being used by
multiple people at the same time, and they can no longer do this. I've told
the person that I am in contact w/over there that, they aren't really meant
to be operated this way, so there really isn't anything for me to "fix." >>

 Couple of things:

1. Make sure everyone has full rights for where the MDB's are (which has
already been mentioned).

2. Make sure that DB's placed in the same directory do not have the same
base name.  i.e.  MyApp.MDW and MyApp.MDB.   This results in both DB's
generating the same locking file name (MyApp.LDB) and all kinds of weirdness
will result.

3. Microsoft made a change with Access 2000 that design changes required
exclusive access to the DB.  Moving from Novell to Windows would not have
changed that, but if as part of that users got new stations and new versions
of Access, it may come into play.

 And a split app is the best approach, foremost of which is that it reduces
network usage, there by improving performance of the app.   It also makes
app maintenance and updates easier.

 Finally it reduces the chance of corruption, although with the design
change now being exclusive, corruption of a shared DB is a lot less then it
used to be.

Jim. 

-----Original Message-----
From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
[mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of John Clark
Sent: Friday, February 15, 2013 11:01 AM
To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving
Subject: [AccessD] Access & Multiple Users

I've got an Access 101 question...maybe 102...
 
I've been programming in Access for more than 10 yrs now, and early on I'd
learned that, if I wanted multiple users to access my DBs (i.e. most of
them), I needed to split them into Front-End programs w/forms and such,
accessing Back-Ends which house the data. This is the way I've been doing
things for all these years. BUT...I never really ever got any definitive
word on how necessary this was...or at what point. 
 
For me, I like how I do it. It isn't much more work, and I've enjoyed a
great track record, w/very few problems regarding corruption, accessibility,
etc.. But, now I am faced w/an issue, and I want to back up what I am
telling my users w/some solid information...actually I just want to know
that I'm not blowing smoke and I know what I am talking about...
 
We are in the process of migrating over, from a Novell network to a Windows
AD network. We just moved out 2nd of five servers/campuses over and this one
apparently has many Access DBs on it. More troublesome is that it has many
user-created DBs on it. All the DBs I created are fine...nice feather in my
cap there, eh?! But, there are several issues...at least a half-dozen at the
moment...w/the user-created ones. 
 
Most of these issues seem to be that they were previously being used by
multiple people at the same time, and they can no longer do this. I've told
the person that I am in contact w/over there that, they aren't really meant
to be operated this way, so there really isn't anything for me to "fix." 
 
So, this brings us to my questions...
 
1) What IS the rule w/simultaneous access? Is it correct that this shouldn't
be done...is there a size or something that it will work up to?
 
2) for my own curiosity...why did it work w/Novell, but w/it came over to
Active Directory it now longer worked? I'm guessing since it is all MS now,
it is integrated enough to be know better...???
 
I'm guessing this is a mix of Access versions. I'm sure most of mine should
be at least at the 2003 level, but nothing much older than that.