Deploying the FE to the users?

[KReese]

I created a database with user level security. I made a copy of that
database; made one a FE & one a BE. They are both secured & cannot be
opened without the shortcut with the wkgroup switch.

In my network folder I have
1) the FE mdb
2) the BE mdb
3) a Microsoft Access Workgroup Information file entitled “Securedâ€

I think I am ready to deploy this trial db to the users. I’ve read several
posts about MDE’s and ‘deploy’ing but I am new to this and need some guidance
on how (specific steps) to deploy the FE to their machines.

A - Can someone give me a step-by-step of how to distribute the FE to the
users? (I want them to be able to create their own reports, etc.)

B - Regarding the FE, BE, and Wkgroup file mentioned above. I don’t know
what to do with these files (i.e. the BE stays on the shared drive, right?
But what about the other two files?) I can double-click and open the Wkgroup
file entitled ‘Secured’ – should that be allowed?

Thanks in advance for any assistance!

 

[Rick Brandt]

I created a database with user level security. I made a copy of that
database; made one a FE & one a BE. They are both secured & cannot be
opened without the shortcut with the wkgroup switch.

In my network folder I have
1) the FE mdb
2) the BE mdb
3) a Microsoft Access Workgroup Information file entitled "Secured"

I think I am ready to deploy this trial db to the users. I've read several
posts about MDE's and 'deploy'ing but I am new to this and need some guidance
on how (specific steps) to deploy the FE to their machines.

A - Can someone give me a step-by-step of how to distribute the FE to the
users? (I want them to be able to create their own reports, etc.)

If the FE is an MDE they will NOT be able to make their own reports. Even if
you give them an MDB which would let them make their own reports the first time
you issue an update to the FE it will wipe their changes out.

I would suggest giving them an MDE and then give them a separate MDB with
nothing in it but links to the BE tables and let them use that for their custom
reports. When you issue updates you would only replace the MDE.

As for distribution you have lots of options. You can use a utility like the
free one offered by Tony Toews which will automatically replace the FE whenever
the master copy is updated. Somewhat simpler is to use a batch file or vb
script that simply replaces the local FE file every time before launching it,
but I wouldn't go that route unless the FE is fairly small in size.

B - Regarding the FE, BE, and Wkgroup file mentioned above. I don't know
what to do with these files (i.e. the BE stays on the shared drive, right?
But what about the other two files?) I can double-click and open the Wkgroup
file entitled 'Secured' - should that be allowed?

The MDW should also stay on the shared drive and that is where I would recommend
that you "publish" updates of the FE. Your users would need a shortcut that
specifies the MDW file as a command line argument. The target would look
like...

"Path to MSAccess.exe" /wrkgrp "Path to shared MDW" "Path to local MDE"

The "Path to shared MDW" should use a UNC path rather than a mapped drive
letter.