Users create reports in MDE file

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Guest

I have a number of installations of an mde file I have distributed (Access
2000). It has a separate backend tables file.

Several users have asked if they can develop and include their own reports
in the mde database. As I don't want to provide the mdb file for them to
play with I thought of allowing them to create their own reports in their own
second access file linked to the tables. When they were happy with the
report, they could import them into my mde. I could then use a table to
identify the custom reports. By using a combo box and a button to run the
selected report, I can fulfill their requirements. The problem is that you
do not have the option to import a report into an mdb through the Access
import menu.

My options seem to be:
1. Tell them all custom reports must be run from a separate mdb file that is
linked to the data. They have to open the separate file and run the report
which is not ideal.

2. Somehow, using vba, inport the reports from the second file once they
have been developed.

3. Open the reports in the their database somehow from my mde database.

I am sure this is not the first time someone has had to face this option. I
would appreciate any comments on 2 or 3 (or any other options) so that I can
get away from only having option 1.
 
Hi, Neville.
My options seem to be:
1. Tell them all custom reports must be run from a separate mdb file that
is
linked to the data. They have to open the separate file and run the
report
which is not ideal.
Click to expand...

They'd like this a whole lot better if you offered them a button on a form
in your MDE database file to open their "special" database file. Have them
all name the special database file the same and place it in a standard
directory of the same name on each of their workstations. For example,
C:\Work\RptsDB.mdb.
2. Somehow, using vba, inport the reports from the second file once they
have been developed.
Click to expand...

You'd have to import their custom reports into your MDB database file, then
create the MDE database file out of that and distribute the MDE to the
users. This can be a developer's nightmare, especially when multiple users
name their reports the same, or have similar names that confuses the users
as to which is which.
3. Open the reports in the their database somehow from my mde database.
Click to expand...

That's easy enough. You could have them press a button that shells out to
the OS and executes Access, which opens their special database, and executes
a macro that opens the specific report (via a command line argument). Or
you can have the button execute an Access shortcut that opens the specific
report. Or you can have the button automate Access (but that's more
difficult when an instance of Access is already running, so I'd recommend
either of the first two options I listed).

HTH.
Gunny

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