Setup Question

[David]

Dear Experts,
I have drawn out a project and am about to sit down and
build. However, after viewing some of the posts, I have
a few simple questions to make sure I am on the right
track.
Overview - Program for 60 users to enter their daily
activities. Users are on corporate intranet, scattered
all over the country.
4 Tables total, users will enter data (via form)into only
one table 3 times per day.
Numerous Forms, reports and queries can be ran from all 4
tables (10 queries/reports per day).
QUESTIONS
Is Access the best application to use for this project?
Will Access lockup with this type of activity?
Should I use the database splitter?
Will the application allow multiple users to access the
mdb file at the same time?
Should I convert the forms to DATA ACCESS PAGES?
What resources can assist me in deploying this project?
Thank you for any assistance you can provide.

 

[Scott McDaniel]

--
Scott McDaniel
CS Computer Software
www.thedatabaseplace.net

Dear Experts,
I have drawn out a project and am about to sit down and
build. However, after viewing some of the posts, I have
a few simple questions to make sure I am on the right
track.
Overview - Program for 60 users to enter their daily
activities. Users are on corporate intranet, scattered
all over the country.
4 Tables total, users will enter data (via form)into only
one table 3 times per day.
Numerous Forms, reports and queries can be ran from all 4
tables (10 queries/reports per day).
QUESTIONS
Is Access the best application to use for this project?

This depends on how you will be using Access. Access is a file server
database and, as such, is not well suited for large numbers of concurrent
users. The key word here is concurrent ... how many users are going to be
using the database at one time? Often when you have 60 users, only a small
number of them are actually doing anything at any one time. There are people
who claim to have hundreds of users on their Access db (and these are
credible developers), but the bulk of the users are not using the db at the
same time.

If you deploy the traditional frontend/backend setup, I would suggest that
your remote users access the db via Terminal Server, Citrix, etc etc ...
trying to allow users to access your db over a VPN or other remote solution
is an exercise in futility.

You could also consider implementing an ASP driven web page, which could use
Access as the backend. This works very well as long as you don't have a
large number of concurrent users. Web pages often don't offer the same GUI
features as does a traditional Windows program, but if your data entry needs
are simple, this would be the easiest way to go.

Will Access lockup with this type of activity?

Access or any other application can lockup if not properly designed and
maintained.

Should I use the database splitter?

Yes, or manually split your database by (a) importing ALL table to a new,
blank, database (b) delete the tables from your original database and (c)
run the linked table manager in the original db, linking the the db you
built in (a).

Will the application allow multiple users to access the
mdb file at the same time?

Assuming you have properly setup your db (i.e. splitting, dealing with
mutiuser issues, etc) you will be able to do so.

Should I convert the forms to DATA ACCESS PAGES?

I don't know much about DAPs, but the general consensus seems to be that a
forms/data solution or more traditional ASP type solution is preferred.

What resources can assist me in deploying this project?

Depends on how you are going to deploy it. If you build an ASP solution,
then deployment is simple (just publish your pages on the company intranet
and point everyone to that page). If you build a more traditional foms/data
solution, then how you deploy depends on whether your users have Access
installed on their machine. If they do, you distribute your .mde to them and
run relink code ... if they don't then you'll have to distribute your db
with the Access runtime, which you can only do if you own the Developer's
Edition of MS Office. Access app deployment has it's own set of troubles, as
well ...reference issues, version compatibility, etc .. if you have a user
in the remote office that's fairly computer literate, you can use them to
help you deploy and resolve issues.