Database synchronisation

[dooberie]

hi anyone
I've just been asked if its possible to synchronise two MS Access databases, and if so how. The basic idea is that if a client has one copy of the database and makes some changes, can the master database be synchronised to also have the updates??

Sorry if that's a bit vague......I'm extremely new to this

[HunterMcCray]

Originally posted by dooberie
hi anyone
I've just been asked if its possible to synchronise two MS Access databases, and if so how. The basic idea is that if a client has one copy of the database and makes some changes, can the master database be synchronised to also have the updates??

Sorry if that's a bit vague......I'm extremely new to this

Can be done, but there are a lot of undesirable requirements and a ton of code to write, besides all of the things that you would be doing are built into a networked database connection. The only example I can think of would be a traveling salesman with a notebook who wants to upload his day's sales to his main PC or Network. In this case you would need to build a special Application designed to do just this. The best approach would probably be to use two databases and a dedicated app for the note book and the main PC. The Main Database would reside on the Main Computer or Network. A special database that contained tables needed for the tasks on the notebook would be on the notebook. For instance you might move a list of Inventory Items and Customers from the main database to the NoteBook. The salesman could then select inventory items for invoices for particular customers. In a Table local to the Notebook called NewInvoices the app on the NoteBook could hold all of the invoice from the day. Later the notebook could be connected to the Main Computer or Network and a special UpLoad Routine could up-load all of the contents from the "NewInvoices" Table to the corresponding table on the Main Computer or NetWork, marking or deleting all of the records from the notebook upon completion....This is not an app for the faint hearted, and it needs to be well planned out. Provisions need to be made for refreshing the inventory and customer lists on the notebook as well as updating the main computer....You will save yourself a great deal of time and effort if you will spend a lot of time thinking before you start writing code.

Hope this helps,

Hunter