[AccessD] vbWatchdog error handler

Tue May 30 10:08:15 CDT 2023

Hello All - 

vbWatchDog is currently $215 for a single developer.  That's a one-time price for version 4, which has been the current version for several years.  Their pricing sheet is here: https://www.everythingaccess.com/vbwatchdog_purchase.asp  There are no royalty charges to your customers.  This is a tiny price for a giant value!

........... "From Joe Anderson - Access MVP (from comments on the pricing sheet)
vbWatchdog is off the chart.  It solves a long standing problem of how to consolidate error handling into one global location and avoid repetitious code within applications.

Among other things, I develop/manage over 25 Microsoft Access databases (mdb/accdb) on my current job.  I have integrated vbWatchdog into a single library mdb.  Each application mdb is referenced to the library mdb, which connects to a single error log mdb on a server.  Virtually any error occurring in any of my apps is automatically written to the error log, all of which is handled by vbWatchdog.   This is HUGE!" ...........

Think of writing Try/Catch code lines into every procedure for 25 Access applications - I've done that for one application but no more!

vbWatchDog did uncover an actual Access bug.  Occasionally, an Access SQL Statement in code which included a sub-statement, would create an error.  This is actually shown in my Access book as 'this is how to do it'.  So, I changed this to first execute the sub SQL Statement to a variable, then include that variable in in the original SQL statement.  After that - no more errors.  I would have never even KNOWN of this without vbWatchDog.

I am NOT trying to say that intense testing prior to release shouldn't be done, but I am saying that a little money plus a couple days implementing vbWatchdog the way you need it is very appropriate for any application.

Dan

-----Original Message-----
From: AccessD <accessd-bounces+df.waters=outlook.com at databaseadvisors.com> On Behalf Of Gustav Brock via AccessD
Sent: 30 May, 2023 09:42
To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving <accessd at databaseadvisors.com>
Cc: Gustav Brock <gustav at cactus.dk>
Subject: Re: [AccessD] vbWatchdog error handler

Hi John

We do accounting and project management applications. That means:

1. Errors is not an option. Thus, everything is carefully tested in-house before published to clients. The few errors we see are usually caused by the environment. For example, we do test the access to the database at launch, but not before every call of a query. If connection is lost during operation, the application will fail but this is so rare that is doesn't pay to do anything more than traditional error handling.

2. Application operators are not "monkeys" typing in the wild or opening and closing windows here and there, but skilled people. But they often need to be guided a little by the application, thus we spend much time building validation and verification of input and data, setting default or suggested values, etc. - this can often take more time than programming the logic. 

Of course, nothing is completely perfect, but issues are typically in the category "unintended behaviour" where the user expects or wishes the application to do something else than it does. This, however, is a level above what an error handler deals with.

This is why I can't see what benefit we would gain from the watchdog.

/gustav

-----Oprindelig meddelelse-----
Fra: AccessD <accessd-bounces+gustav=cactus.dk at databaseadvisors.com> På vegne af John Colby
Sendt: 30. maj 2023 15:55
Til: Access Developers discussion and problem solving <accessd at databaseadvisors.com>
Emne: Re: [AccessD] vbWatchdog error handler

Lol, sadly few developers are as perfect as you are Stuart.

On Tue, May 30, 2023 at 3:04 AM Stuart McLachlan <stuart at lexacorp.com.pg>
wrote:

> Me too. :)
>
> Error handling should be pro-active.  Untrapped errors that require 
> this sort of framework are an indication of poor design and testing.
> It's just a PITA that the VBA developers have never bothered to 
> implement Try...Catch and you have to resort to IFs and/or the clunky 
> On Error Goto.
>
> In the rare event that a user finds a new way to break the 
> application, they will generally let you know and you can implement a 
> fix.
>
> I can see it being useful during pre-release testing, but not in 
> production.
>
>
> On 30 May 2023 at 5:28, Gustav Brock via AccessD wrote:
>
> > Hi Dan and John
> >
> > I must say, I´ve never understood the need for extensive error 
> > handling. We test our applications very carefully, thus errors are 
> > extremely rare and certainly not happening on a daily basis.
> >
> > /gustav
> >
> > Fra: Daniel Waters<mailto:df.waters at outlook.com>
> > Sendt: 30. maj 2023 02:48
> > Til: Access Developers discussion and problem 
> > solving<mailto:accessd at databaseadvisors.com> Emne: Re: [AccessD] 
> > vbWatchdog error handler
> >
> > Hi John,
> >
> > I used this up until about 5 years ago.  It's an excellent addition, 
> > and much more than worth the money.  Set up a table to store the 
> > error data, create a report that shows that data, and set up a daily 
> > email so you'll know of any errors that occurred yesterday at each 
> > of your customers.  Or you can set up an immediate email for any 
> > error or if a certain type of error occurs.
> >

--
John W. Colby
Colby Consulting
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