printmedia
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.adp Access file to .ade
Hi all.
A friend asked me to help him with his company's access form. The problem is I've never worked with .adp and .ade files. So I have some basic questions.
1. I know that I need to make changes to the original .adp file and then save it as an .ade file. But when I do that, does it compile the code and check for any errors during this process?
2. Once I save it as an .ade file how do I make sure the end users throughout the network have the copy with the latest changes? Is there some sort of script? Or if they all have shortcuts to this .ade file they will automatically see the changes?
3. How should I work on code and test before applying these changes to the LIVE system? Should I make a copy of the .adp file and name it something else (say MyTest.adp) and then save the .ade file as MyTest.ade and then try opening it on an end user workstation to see if the changes are ok?
Thank you in advance!
A friend asked me to help him with his company's access form. The problem is I've never worked with .adp and .ade files. So I have some basic questions.
1. I know that I need to make changes to the original .adp file and then save it as an .ade file. But when I do that, does it compile the code and check for any errors during this process?
2. Once I save it as an .ade file how do I make sure the end users throughout the network have the copy with the latest changes? Is there some sort of script? Or if they all have shortcuts to this .ade file they will automatically see the changes?
3. How should I work on code and test before applying these changes to the LIVE system? Should I make a copy of the .adp file and name it something else (say MyTest.adp) and then save the .ade file as MyTest.ade and then try opening it on an end user workstation to see if the changes are ok?
Thank you in advance!
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I would first look at the shortcut that points to the app.
If it references something other then MSACCESS.EXE, or names a DB other then your app, then it is using a launcher.
If not a launcher, then I would look to the menu system on a station and see if there is any kind of an "update" available.
If none, then I would look on the server and see if there is a batch file. It would most likely be in the same directory as a "master" copy of the FE, so do a search for that.
If none, then I would look in the app iteself and see if there is any logic in it for updating the app.
If none there, then it may just have been a manual file copy and paste.
The latter would probably be a good bet if there are only a handfull of users. Usually, most developers don't worry about program updates right off and leave that till the end if they do it at all.
Last, maybe talk to an employee that uses the app that's been there a while? They might remember something.
Jim.
If it references something other then MSACCESS.EXE, or names a DB other then your app, then it is using a launcher.
If not a launcher, then I would look to the menu system on a station and see if there is any kind of an "update" available.
If none, then I would look on the server and see if there is a batch file. It would most likely be in the same directory as a "master" copy of the FE, so do a search for that.
If none, then I would look in the app iteself and see if there is any logic in it for updating the app.
If none there, then it may just have been a manual file copy and paste.
The latter would probably be a good bet if there are only a handfull of users. Usually, most developers don't worry about program updates right off and leave that till the end if they do it at all.
Last, maybe talk to an employee that uses the app that's been there a while? They might remember something.
Jim.
ASKER
Great thanks Jim.
ASKER
As far as <<2. my friend has no idea, he paid some guy years ago to do this and the guy can't be found.
What can I do to find out? Would the batch files be on the individual workstations or the server? What can I search for: "*.bat", how do I look for the launcer? On each individual computer, if so what file extension?