Copying database and making changes to main database

E

Elsa

When I copy the main database from a network drive and
paste it to my hard drive and rename it; I can manipulate
the data on the main database. I don't want this. I want
to use the copied database as a test database. Do I need
to break a link or something? If so, how?

Please help....thanks.

=)
 
E

Elsa

Thanks Doug...but I don't think I made myself
clear...sorry.

If I use the copied database located in my hard drive and
make changes to the data, it also changes the data in the
main database located on the network. I want to be able
to make changes in the copied db and not affect the main
db.

Thanks.
=)
 
M

Mike Painter

Elsa said:
When I copy the main database from a network drive and
paste it to my hard drive and rename it; I can manipulate
the data on the main database. I don't want this. I want
to use the copied database as a test database. Do I need
to break a link or something? If so, how?

Please help....thanks.
Click to expand...

It is most likely that you are not copying the database but creating a
shortcut to it.
Right click and select copy.

This is a very dangerous thing to do with a database since if you copy it
back all the work anybody else does will be gone.
 
E

Elsa

Thanks Mike...but I am selecting copy.

I just want to be able to copy a database and save it to
my hard drive and be able to view the design, make changes
to data and add my own objects without it affecting the
main db. I don't want to include any of these changes to
the main db. I didn't create the main db and therefore
want to "play" with it so I understand it better.

Thanks. =)
 
V

Van T. Dinh

Another possibility: Your database application is split into the Front-End
and Back-End. You copied the Front-End (containing GUI but not data) to
your hard-disk but this copy still point to the same Back-End (containing
data) and therefore when you edit/modify in the copy of the Front-End, you
actually modify / edit the same Back-End.

Open the Database Containers Window and select the Tables tab. Do you see
the right-pointing arrows in front of the icons for the Tables? If you do,
they are "Linked" Tables, likely to be sourced from the Back-End on the
network drive.
 
D

Douglas J. Steele

If you've copied MyFile.MDB from the server to your hard drive and make
changes to the copy on your hard drive, thre's no way it's going to affect
the data in the original file unless you've got tables linked between the
two databases.

Go to the Tables tab in your copy of the database. What do the icons beside
each table name look like? If there's a little arrow to the left of the
icon, you're dealing with linked tables. If there aren't any arrows, the
only other possibilities that I can think of is that you've got queries that
are hard-coded to point to a specific database, or you're running SQL
statements in code that are explicitly pointing to a specific database.
 
E

Elsa

Thanks Van. I do see two arrows for 2 tables. So, what
do I do so I can use the copied db and not affect the main
db?

Thanks =)
 
V

Van T. Dinh

* Note down the names of these 2 Tables.
* Check and make sure these 2 Tables exist in the Back-End
database on the network drive.
* Go back to the copy on your hard-disk. Delete the 2
linked Tables (with arrow in from). You are actually
delete the links, not the actual Tables.
* Use the Menu File / Get External Data ... / *Import* to
import these 2 Tables from the Back-End to this copy on
your hard-disk.

HTH
Van T. Dinh
MVP (Access)
 
D

Douglas J. Steele

Point the linked tables to a more appropriate location, using the code I
mentioned earlier.
 
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