James Button
jamesbutton at blueyonder.co.uk
Mon Oct 20 16:58:55 CDT 2014
Brad, That simplifies the situation somewhat. I presume that the update is preceded by a disconnect of all user's from the database And followed by a backup and a distribution of any needed updates. Probably none if the Front-end is actually run from the server using a 'shortcut' type link. >From memory, the user may have the ability to go into design mode and tweak the application, maybe an accde file is better - but that's something to check. So I'm a bit confused as to the 'own copies' bit if they are all actually using the server based application, unless you actually replicate the database to their PC, but leaving them unable to access that data via the application unless the server can be accessed. But having shipped a copy of the data would they not have the ability to modify that local copy of the data. Assuming the app is centrally held, and the data is updated overnight with users kicked off the dbms for that. If the data is currently distributed overnight, I would consider the loading placed on the server during the day for the amount of DBMS data accessed by the users, to be a major criteria to consider against the loading of an overnight distribution of the entire? Database to each of the 10 users . If you currently ship the app to the user pc's, and are actually proposing to have the link cause the app to be uploaded to the PC to run, then I cannot see any problems except the need to have the server connected in orde to run the app. If the link is to have the app run on the server, then you will need to ensure that the working spaces etc. for the app are all actually local to the users environment. Hopefully, someone with that level of detail and current access knowledge and useage experience can provide a validated answer to the 'problems' question. My experience is pre 2007 JimB -----Original Message----- From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Brad Marks Sent: Monday, October 20, 2014 10:27 PM To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving Subject: Re: [AccessD] One Accdr (front end) for each User's PC or Share the Accdr file on the File Server All, I would like to clarify my question a bit. Currently, the data is stored in an Access "Back End" accdb file. Updates to this "Back End" are done at night when no one is using the Inquiry system. Currently the "Front End" is an ACCDR file that is stored on a file server. The ACCDR Front-End is a simple "Inquiry" system that will never update the data stored in Back-End. Instead of creating the ACCDR Front-End file on each user's PC, I simply put an icon on each user's desktop. This icon points at the ACCDR Front-End that is stored on a file server Will I run into problems with this approach? In the past, I have always provided each user with their own copy of Access front-ends. I wonder if this is really necessary when an Front-End is "Inquiry Only". Thanks, Brad -----Original Message----- From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of James Button Sent: Monday, October 20, 2014 4:09 PM To: 'Access Developers discussion and problem solving' Subject: Re: [AccessD] One Accdr (front end) for each User's PC or Share the Accdr file on the File Server So are you saying that with the data not on the front-end PC's, the front end PC's will not be getting the server DBMS to read the tables of data on the server in order to provide required data to the data handler facility at the screen end of the process. As in select ___ from __ where __ IS LIKE "* Frederick*" and ... Does not put any load on the server DBMS - memory and data storage medium - both when all the data is on the PC on the user's desk, and when the data is on the central server? As in there will be no IO load on the server ? And - if the actual 'heavy lifting' is done at the front end systems - then does that not imply that for a cound where like will require all the data to be transferred up the comms link That is why canned procedures should be used to access the data so that the user PC activates a data selection (with parameters) that will cause the server to do the work and just send the needed results. Basically the server would have to read the data from the drive regardless, and that is, with current PC speeds pretty much the major time usage, unless the system does not have adequate memory to do the data handling for whatever concurrent loading it gets from the 10 client PC's JimB -----Original Message----- From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Heenan, Lambert Sent: Monday, October 20, 2014 9:19 PM To: 'Access Developers discussion and problem solving' Subject: Re: [AccessD] One Accdr (front end) for each User's PC or Share the Accdr file on the File Server " The consequences of them accessing the data on the server will be: Delays in getting data selection done, as the server will be doing all the work that their local PC's were doing" Not so. The server is just acting as a file server, so when the 10 or so users open the same front end, all the heavy lifting is still being done by their local machine. Other consequences of allowing the users to share a front end - if you ever need to make an update to the front end design you will need to kick all the users out before you can deploy the revised version. When they each have their own copy of the front end you have no such constraint, but then you do have the problem of how to distribute new versions to the users. Lambert and his two cents. Prediction is difficult, especially of the future. -- Niels Bohr -----Original Message----- From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of James Button Sent: Monday, October 20, 2014 4:10 PM To: 'Access Developers discussion and problem solving' Subject: Re: [AccessD] One Accdr (front end) for each User's PC or Share the Accdr file on the File Server Please note the following is only my opinion. If the front ends are never going to be allowed any update access at all by the imbedded security, or the access method including constraints - as in pre-coded SQL, then the main considerations for you at the server end will be the effect of an update being performed while one, or more of those users has the database open for access, and the effect on any scheduled (or ad-hoc) maintenance such as a backup if a user leaves their system in a state where it is accessing the database, and that access stops the DBMS being set in a can-do-maintenance state. The consequences of them accessing the data on the server will be: Delays in getting data selection done, as the server will be doing all the work that their local PC's were doing (adequate real memory on the server may mitigate that). And transmission delays as the selected data is transmitted across the Lan (Wan/web?) There is also the consideration that they will have assurance that the data they are viewing is up-to-date, and the results of any searches they do will change as the data does, and they will not have to schedule and actually achieve an update to their local copy. Now all of the above is a matter for your, and the organisation's management to consider rather than being a technical limitation of the use of Access. JimB -----Original Message----- From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Brad Marks Sent: Monday, October 20, 2014 8:31 PM To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving Subject: [AccessD] One Accdr (front end) for each User's PC or Share the Accdr file on the File Server All, I recently built a small inquiry system with Access 2007. I am using a "Split" database (data stored in a "_be.accdb" backend file). The data is coming from an outside source and the inquiry system will never update the data. Currently all of the users (about 10) share the Accdr (front end) which is stored on a file server. A couple years ago, I built a similar inquiry system and I set things up so that each user had their own copy of the Front-end Accdr file. I am now wondering if this is really necessary. Would it be Okay for all users to share the Accdr (front end) which is stored on the file server? Please Keep in mind that no updates are ever done via the font-end. 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