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jhreboot

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access shared database on workstations shared over a network with a server

I just started consulting for a ski shop that has an access database on a windows 2000 server shared over the network so when they make a change on one workstation it propigates to all workstations. The problem is I installed a new workstation on their network because of a motherboard failure and i do not know how to get the database to work on the new computer. I installed access on the new computer but i am not sure what to do next.
Thank you for the help.
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cnjuguna

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If the database is using Front End and Back End Structure, you just need to get a copy of the Front End. You may only open the file and you can access right away its records.

And if it is an access shared file, you need to navigate and open it from the folder where the file is located.

Sincerely,
Ed
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compTrack

Hello There,

I have been programming on MS Access Databases and have given consultancy services, provided solutions and deployed them in a client-server fashion for quite some time now.

What you need to do is this:

1. Split the MS Access Database using the Database Splitter tool that comes with MS Access. This will split the MS Access Database into a Front End (that contains all the forms, reports and queries) and a Back End (that contains the tables). However, the Front End will contain Linked Tables to the Backend.

2. Create a folder on server and place both the Front End as well as the Back End in that folder. Lets name this folder say for example "Database Folder"

3. Now on every client machine, what you need to do is map a network drive (Tools -> Map Network Drive) to the folder on the server where you have put both the Front End as well as the Back End (the folder we called Database Folder). Lets say, you mapped that network folder as the M:\ Drive

4. Now, in the C:\ Drive of every client machine, create a folder (lets call it "clientFolder"). In this forlder, create a batch file and add the following script to it:

:Download
copy "M:\FrontEnd.mdb" "C:\clientFolder\FrontEnd.mdb"

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\MSACCESS.EXE" /excl "C:\clientFolder\FrontEnd.mdb"
:END

Note: In the second path in C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\MSACCESS.EXE, change the Office12 to the version of office you are using. Example, Office 2007 is office12 if I am not wrong. Office 2010 is office14.

5. Right Click on each of the Batch file so created in the above step on every client machine and say "Send to desktop" to create a database shortcut on the desktop for every client user.

Im sure there are other ways, but this has worked very efficiently for me over the years.

Keep us posted.

Best Regards,

compTrack.
You can simply create DSN :
1) Go to control panel > Administrative tools. Open Data Sources(ODBC).
2)Select tab System DSN > Click on Add button.
3) Select Microsoft Access Driver(*.mdb) from list & click on finish.
4) Now give Datasource Name. & Select Database from your network path. then click on ok button.
5) Now dsn created successfully & you can use dsn name for your connection.
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ASKER

I do not see a dsn on the other computers.
I created the dsn now what should i do?
If I am not wrong, DSN is used to programmatically access Back End Tables when one needs to manipulate row values using code.

I thought the scenario here was that the database was already developed and needed to be deployed in a Client - Server Architecture.

Have I understood the question correctly?

compTrack
Thank you