Problems with design master (replication)

Andy,

  Sounds like the database is corrupt.  See if you can get compact/repair to run on it (you may need to use JETCOMP.EXE, a standlone compact/repair utility on Microsoft's web site).  Depending on how long it's been since you last synced, you might not wat to risk it and just deal with use the other existing members.

  Synchronize all of the replicas in your replica set to make sure that all are up to date. Then choose one of them to be the new Design Master from the Replication menu, by using Replication Manager, or from code by setting the DesignMasterID property.

  You also might want to get this for reference:

Frequently Asked Questions About Microsoft® Access 2000 Replication
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;282977

HTH,
Jim.

I have now imported all tabels in a new database, deleted all relations, set all tabels to be replicated, rebuild all relations. So far, so good. Now I could make it as design master again. BUT: After copying to the network, reestablished as design master, made new replicas: After synchronizing, the same problem as before occured: The design master before now only is a replica and I get the error "The value specified is not a ReplicaID for any member in the replica set. (Error 3488)" again.

All for nothing...

I need some help immediately

Andy

Andy,

 <<The design master before now only is a replica and I get the error "The value specified is not a ReplicaID for any member in the replica set>>

  I'm not sure I understand this last part.  Are you saying you left the original master in the replica set?

<<I have now imported all tabels in a new database, deleted all relations, set all tabels to be replicated, rebuild all relations. So far, so good. Now I could make it as design master again>>

  You can't do that as   you've created a new replica set by doing so.  

  Out of the *existing* replicas, you need to promote one to master after syncing them.  If the original master cannot be repaired with compact/repair, then it's lost.  If it is repaired, it still looses its replicated status.  Either way, it's no longer a master.  You need to promote a new master from the remaining replicas.

Jim.

I don't have a remaining replica. It's deleted. I have to say that I am new to replication. Maybe I have an understanding problem. What means to create a new replica set ?

Please help

Andy

Andy,

<<What means to create a new replica set ? >>

  A "replica set" is a master databbase and possibly one or more replicas.  Internally, each of these databases are tagged with a ReplicaID.  This is how Access knows which set a replica is part of.

<<I don't have a remaining replica. It's deleted.>>

  I'm a bit confused then.  You said:

"I have now imported all tabels in a new database, deleted all relations, set all tabels to be replicated, rebuild all relations. So far, so good. Now I could make it as design master again. BUT: After copying to the network, reestablished as design master, made new replicas: After synchronizing, the same problem as before occured: The design master before now only is a replica and I get the error "The value specified is not a ReplicaID for any member in the replica set. (Error 3488)" again."

  So to make sure I understand, everything is new right?  Your not using anything that you had previously.  You created a new master, and created *new* replicas from that, then tried to sync and got the error?

 <<I have to say that I am new to replication.>>

  You should read through that FAQ I posted before going further.  It might clear up some things for you about how replication works and some of the "gotchas".  In fact one thing that just caught my attention is that you said you moved the master; you can't do that after replicas are created.  Might be part of your problem.  I'm not sure.  Anyway, it's worth a read.

Jim.

Hi, Jim,

now I have read the FAQ and some things are clearer now, some others NOT.

What I have done is the following:

The original design master is located on a network drive at the customer. If I make changes, I copy the design master to my laptop, make this as new design master (because it is a replica then only), make my changes to the tabels, copy it back to the customer's network drive and then make this on again as the design master. Maybe this causes the corruption of the database ? If this is not a good way, what is the best way to make changes "offline" ?

Another thing that is not really clear to me is: what exactly is a replica set? I understand it as a group of databases (1 design master and n replicas). BUT: When is a replica set created and how can I move a databse to another location ?

Thanks for your help

Andy

Have read the foregoing and note that you say you are working with a 'customer'

? do you have access to their network either remote or direct in their office
 - if so keep the design master on your pc and create a replica on their network - this way any remote changes can be transfered by syncronising replica's
- if not then design master/replicas is not the way to go!  you could split the dbase to frontend and backend and play around with this, but you usually have to relink tables etc (can be a nightmare but sensible if the data is large).  The way I currently do it with some clients is:-
1. Create mdb dbase
2. make mde from this
3. copy mde to client either direct or zip and email
4. after changes (bug fixes,enhancements etc)
5. copy mde from client
6. import tables from mde to mde, either delete existing tables first or delete and rename after import (all depends on the changes you make)
7. repeat from 2.
 
Hope this helps

@grayderek:

if i keep the design master on my pc, i always have to import the actual data to the tabels of the design master on my pc. my pc isn't linked to the customer's network. Only some times (if I am at the customers firm) i can connect to their network. Additionally I have a remote access the their network.

I already have a split database. Only the data has to be replicated. I have the prg.mde and the repldata.mdb located on the customers pc's and one masterdata.mdb on the network.

Andy

Jim,

<< You can do that, but you should sync up all the replicas before making that copy a design master once again.  I'm assuming your using recover Design Master to change the status?>>

How can I do that ? If let say 10 People are using the database, they are seldomly all connected to the network at the same time. Maybe one person is in vacation for weeks. So I can't sync up his replica. Or am I wrong ?

So Jim,

in my situation, what would you do ? Obviously the database is corrupt somehow and the replicas are deleted. Should I import all tabels to a complete new database and make a new replica set on the customer's network ?

Andy

Andy,

<<How can I do that ? If let say 10 People are using the database, they are seldomly all connected to the network at the same time. Maybe one person is in vacation for weeks. So I can't sync up his replica. Or am I wrong ?>>
 
  No, your understand is correct.  But the standard practice is synch everything before you change a design master.

<<in my situation, what would you do ? Obviously the database is corrupt somehow and the replicas are deleted. >>

  All the replicas are gone?  

<<Should I import all tabels to a complete new database and make a new replica set on the customer's network ?>>
 

 Yes.

Jim.

BTW, if these users are/will be laptop users connecting from the road, I'd use indirect sync rather then direct.

  What happens here is a file of the changes passes to a dropbox on the users machine, then gets sync locally.

Thanks for the informations about replication. Hope, setting up a new database will fix my problem

Greetings

Andy

Andy,

  Please let me know if you need additional help.

Jim.