[AccessD] Question: How often do you run your remote table relinking code?

Tue Feb 15 20:44:46 CST 2022

Since with Access BEs the user can make copies and move them around in a
sort of...undisciplined...way (until they've got 42 copies spread around on
different drives).

Therefore, my OPENING form always showed the current database (BE) the
front end was linked to. Didn't stop them from screwing up sometimes, but
the question was like can you make a car so safe that I can't drive it into
a wall?

r

On Tue, Feb 15, 2022 at 2:55 PM Stuart McLachlan <stuart at lexacorp.com.pg>
wrote:

> > If the (remote) host is the same, yes. Why not? There is nothing to
> > change or update. Those applications don´t even have a relinker. If a
> > table scheme is modified, the client is passed new versions of the
> > applications, and the users´ launch scripts will update automatically
> > at the next launch.
>
> Same for me.   But I also have some applications where the user can be
> working from the
> shared BE or a local copy. In that case, my Startup() function called from
> an AutoExec
> macro looks something like this:
>
> IF DLookup("LinkedLocal", "ltblsysfile") THEN
>     IF DLookup("LocalBEDir", "ltblsysfile") <> CurrentProject.Path THEN
>         MSGBOX "Currently configured to use local data file and
> application has been moved!", , csApptitle
>         IF DIR$(CurrentProject.Path & "\" & csBEName) = "" THEN
>             MSGBOX "Data file is not in the current directory! Exiting!",
> , csApptitle
>             DoCmd.Quit
>         END IF
>         MSGBOX "About to relink in new location", , csApptitle
>         IF ConnectBE(CurrentProject.Path) THEN
>             MSGBOX "Application now linked to local data in " &
> CurrentProject.Path & "." & _
>             vbCrLf & "Application will now close. You should re-open it",
> , csApptitle
>             CurrentDb.Execute "UPdate ltblSysfile set LocalBEDIr = '" &
> CurrentProject.Path & "'"
>         ELSE
>             MSGBOX "Problem relinking!", , csApptitle
>             DoCmd.Quit
>         END IF
>     ELSE
>         IF NOT fso.FileExists(CurrentProject.Path & "\" & csBEName) THEN
>             IF MSGBOX("Currently configured to use local data and data
> file is not in the current directory! Do you want to connect to the
> Server?", vbYesNo, csApptitle) <> vbYes THEN
>                 MSGBOX "Unable to access any data. Exiting!", , csApptitle
>                 DoCmd.Quit
>             ELSE
>                 svr = DLookup("NetworkBEDIr", "ltblSysfile")
>                 IF NOT fso.FileExists(svr & "\" & csBEName) THEN
>                     MSGBOX "Unable to locate " & svr & "\" & csBEName &
> "." & vbCrLf & _
>                     "Make sure that you are connected to a network and
> that the  drive  " & svr & " is mapped to the location of the SIMS data on
> the network." & vbCrLf & vbCrLf & "Exiting!", , csApptitle
>                     DoCmd.Quit
>                 ELSE
>                     ConnectBE svr
>                     CurrentDb.Execute "update ltblSysfile set LinkedLocal
> = false"
>                     MSGBOX "Relinked to Server.", , csApptitle
>                 END IF
>             END IF
>         END IF
>     END IF
> ELSE 'networked - check OK
>    svr = DLookup("NetworkBEDIr", "ltblSysfile")
>    IF NOT fso.FileExists(svr & "\" & csBEName) THEN
>        IF NOT fso.FileExists(CurrentProject.Path & "\" & csBEName) THEN
>             MSGBOX "Cannot connect to server and there is no local data
> file in the current directory.  Application closing", vbCritical, csApptitle
>        ELSE
>            IF MSGBOX("Cannot connect to server. Do you want to connect to
> the exisint local data file?", vbYesNo) <> vbYes THEN
>               MSGBOX "No data file avaiable. Exiting", , csApptitle
>            END IF
>            ConnectBE CurrentProject.Path
>            CurrentDb.Execute "Update ltblSysfile set LinkedLocal = true,
> LocalBEDir = '" & CurrentProject.Path & "'"
>        END IF
>    END IF
> END IF
>
>
> On 15 Feb 2022 at 21:44, Gustav Brock via AccessD wrote:
>
> > Hi Bill
> >
> > If the (remote) host is the same, yes. Why not? There is nothing to
> > change or update. Those applications don´t even have a relinker. If a
> > table scheme is modified, the client is passed new versions of the
> > applications, and the users´ launch scripts will update automatically
> > at the next launch.
> >
> > /gustav
> >
> > Fra: Bill Benson<mailto:bensonforums at gmail.com>
> > Sendt: 15. februar 2022 22:24
> > Til: Access Developers discussion and problem
> > solving<mailto:accessd at databaseadvisors.com> Cc: Gustav
> > Brock<mailto:gustav at cactus.dk> Emne: Re: [AccessD] Question: How often
> > do you run your remote table relinking code?
> >
> >
> > Not sure about something:
> >
> > When sending a default or new FE to a new user, would you ship the FE
> > with tables already linked or perform a link on first use of that FE?
> >
> > On Tue, Feb 15, 2022 at 4:17 PM Gustav Brock via AccessD
> > <accessd at databaseadvisors.com<mailto:accessd at databaseadvisors.com>>
> > wrote: Hi Ryan
> >
> > Never.
> > It is only needed if the host or a table schema is changed.
> >
> > /gustav
> >
> > Fra: Ryan W<mailto:wrwehler at gmail.com<mailto:wrwehler at gmail.com>>
> > Sendt: 15. februar 2022 20:31 Til: Access Developers discussion and
> > problem
> > solving<mailto:accessd at databaseadvisors.com<mailto:accessd at databaseadv
> > isors.com>> Emne: [AccessD] Question: How often do you run your remote
> > table relinking code?
> >
> > I'd been in the habit of running the relinking code right after the
> > ODBC connection was established, it usually takes 8-10 seconds to
> > delete the tabledefs and recreate them.
> >
> > I recently came across this old article
> > https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2011/04/08/power-ti
> > p-improve-the-security-of-database-connections/
> >
> > In this article the author states the initial connection credentials
> > are cached, and as long as your connection string on linked tables and
> > passthrough queries match the 3 required criteria (database, server,
> > and driver) you don't need to worry about storing UID and PWDs in the
> > string (which I'm using mSysConf to negate anyway).
> >
> > So now I'm only running re-linking code when I add new tables/views to
> > the FE during development.  This has made startup times a lot nicer.
> >
> > So my question to you all is: When do you relink remote tables?
> > Always? Seldom? Never?
> >
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> >
>
>
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