Only one user allowed at time (2000 )

Topic

New Reply

I’ve been helping a group who have a database that was custom built for them for someone else. They are having a problem in that when one user is in the table another user is unable to use specific forms. That doesn’t happen to all the forms. The tables are split. They have an MDE version and the original version that they use. Each user has the database on their harddrive with the tables on a server. All tables are linked. Is there some setting I need to specifically look for under properties that is limiting the number of users that can be in the database at a time. I thought with Access, more than one user could use at one time.

Thanks,
Alicia

Reply | Quote

Replies

They should check whether all users have full rights on the folder containing the database with the tables on the server – users should be able to create, read, write and delete files, otherwise Access can’t function correctly. If users have only read rights in that folder, the first one to open a table in the database will lock it for others.

Reply | Quote

COOL!! I’ll start there. I was reading the thread re slow linked tables in 2000 and that is another of their issues. So, I’ll take a look at that as well.

I appreciate it. Have a good one,
Leesha

Reply | Quote

Another question with regards to this thread. In reading a bit I found info that mentioned if the form is bound to a query, this could also cause issues of only one person being to get in at a time based on what the recordset property is in the query view. Do you have any specific suggestions with regards to this??

Thanks,
Leesha

Reply | Quote

I’m not sure in what context you found that comment, but in general users are not constrained when using a query as a data source for a form. There are issues however if someone opens a table in design mode. As a general rule of thumb, we don’t let users do anything with a table, and normally we don’t even let them get to the database container window.

Another thing to note – from Access 2000 forward, you cannot make design changes to a form, report, macro or module unless you have exclusive control. If you try to do that and nobody else currently has the database open, Access just switches to exclusive mode and doesn’t warn you. Then other users can’t get in until you save the object and close it. On the other hand, if someone is the database when you try to make a design change, Access will warn you that you won’t be able to save any changes you make to the object. Which is one of the big reasons why we always split our databases and deploy the front-end to the workstation.

Reply | Quote

The database that I’m referring to was built for this group by someone who no longer is around to support it. The users don’t make changes, simply enter data.

The reading I was referring to was in Access and was had to do with record locks either being set to “no locks”, “edited record”, or “all records”.

Thanks!
Leesha

Reply | Quote

Yest, that is another thing to look at. If a form is set to lock all records, only one person can use it at a time. In general, there is no need to use this setting. If no locks have been set, and wo users attempt to edit the same record at the same time, Access will issue a warning when they try to save the record.

Reply | Quote

Ok, I will check that setting when I look at the database (I’m getting my ideas together first of where to start to trouble shoot). My next question, if the record lock is not set to “no locks” and is set to something else, will the fact that the form is bound to the query keep other users out of the form until the person using it is done??

Thanks,
Leesha

Reply | Quote

[indent]

---

will the fact that the form is bound to the query keep other users out of the form until the person using it is done??

---

[/indent]It should not, even if it is set to one of the intermediate locking conditions. Record locks only kick in when a user is actively editing an existing record.

Reply | Quote

If record locking (which can be set for queries and for forms) is set to “Edited record”, multiple users should be able to open the same form, even edit different records in it. But if it is set to “All records”, only a single user can open a form at a time.

Reply | Quote

Hans and Wendell, thanks so much for the info. I’m pointed in a direction to start with so I can at least try to make a dent in their issue.

Leesha

Reply | Quote