Database Needs Repaired

[Dwight]

I am testing a new application in a multi-user enviroment.

I am getting an error that I did not get when I tested it
on a single-user enviorment. The error is as follows:

********************************************************
The database "I:\database.mdb" needs to be repaired or
isn't a database file.

You or another user may have unexpectedly quit Microsoft
Access while a Microsoft Access database was open. Do you
want to repair the database?
*********************************************************

I click yes and the database does repair ok.

Micorsoft Access is loaded on local PC and the database
(.mdb) is loaded on the network.

Does anyone what might be the cause of this error.

Thanks in advance!

Dwight

 

[Douglas J. Steele]

Was the database on the network in your single-user test? Access is very
sensitive to network problems that don't trouble other applications as much.
A wonky NIC can cause problems with an Access database.

Also, do you have your application split into a front-end (containing the
queries, forms, reports, macros and modules), connected to a back-end
(containing the tables)? Only the back-end should be on the network: each
user should have his/her own copy of the front-end, preferably on his/her
hard-drive.

 

[Guest]

Doug,
The database was on the network in the single-user test.

I do not have the application split. I tested a split
application and it actually ran much slower (over a WAN).
I am eventually going to deploy the application across a
WAN and the band width is approximately 1 mps, so I plan
to use the replication architecture.

Any thoughts?

Dwight

 

[John Vinson]

I am testing a new application in a multi-user enviroment.

I am getting an error that I did not get when I tested it
on a single-user enviorment. The error is as follows:

Two suggestions:

SPLIT YOUR DATABASE. Having multiple users open the same database puts
you at major risk for corruption! The tables should be in a shared
"backend" database on the server; each user should have their own copy
of the "frontend", with the forms, queries, reports etc., on their own
computer linked to the backend.

And check out Tony Toews' excellent corruption FAQ at

http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/corruptmdbs.htm

 

[Douglas J. Steele]

I'd advise reading what Albert Kallal has to say at
http://www.attcanada.net/~kallal.msn/Wan/Wans.html about the folly of
deploying Access over a WAN.

 

[John Vinson]

I tested a split
application and it actually ran much slower (over a WAN).
I am eventually going to deploy the application across a
WAN and the band width is approximately 1 mps, so I plan
to use the replication architecture.

Replication (with each user having a replica on their own desktop)
will be fairly complex and difficult. However, either linking or
(worse) directly connecting to a database over a WAN will be DREADFUL.

Another alternative is to use Terminal Server or a third-party tool
such as Citrix or PCAnywhere. If you'll have multiple users
concurrently updating, I'd suggest that you use a split architecture
with the backend on a shared folder and each user connecting via
*their own* separate frontend, on the server end of the terminal
connection - the user's machine should be *only* a terminal client and
need not even have Access installed.