[2005] Shared Access Database

[cptHotkeys]

Hi people,

I am developing a POS/Credit/Stock Control system that is going to be based on a MS Access database. This database needs to be shared, there will be no more that 3 computers with access to this DB, now what I would like some advice with is.
1) Are there any issues other than read/write permisions (meaning, if the current user has access to the database file on the server, will that be all i need to worry about)
2) I would like to inform the user of permission errors, so how can I detect user permissions for a given file on the server, or another workstation?
3) Will "IO.File.Exists(path)" work over a LAN?
4) Can I use the UNC Path for the file and treat it like a local file?

Sorry for asking such basic questions, its just that I have no access to a network where I can test this, so when I get the chance(which will probably be onsite) I would like to be as prepared as possible...

Thanks in advance...

(I have been missing from this site for a while, as I have no internet at my new house, And if anyone was wondering, I havent forgotten about that skinning tutorial I said I would post, infact, I have already made some skins, just been a bit busy with study ect to finish it up)

[circuits2]

1) Are there any issues other than read/write permisions (meaning, if the current user has access to the database file on the server, will that be all i need to worry about)

As far as the database is concerned, the only permissions you need are those that would allow connectivity to the file location. You will have to take into consideration any type of authentication that you have set up in the access database such as users etc.

2) I would like to inform the user of permission errors, so how can I detect user permissions for a given file on the server, or another workstation?

Use a simple Try/Catch Block and catch the permission exceptions. I'm not sure exactly how many there are but you can use intellisense to pick them out.

3) Will "IO.File.Exists(path)" work over a LAN?

Yes, that will work over a LAN.

4) Can I use the UNC Path for the file and treat it like a local file?

All of my Access DB apps use a database that is kept on a file server and I always use the UNC path to locate the files. It just seems much cleaner that way because IP addresses seem to be changed more often than server and directory names. However, if you are saving your connection strings in the App.Config file, then simple XML editing can update your connection string in the event that some parameter is changed.


Hope this helps.

[cptHotkeys]

Thanks, that helped allot...
One more question...

As far as the database is concerned, the only permissions you need are those that would allow connectivity to the file location. You will have to take into consideration any type of authentication that you have set up in the access database such as users etc.

So for connectivity do you mean "Read" permisions, and I am guessing here, but to execute an INSERT statement for example, can I do that with read permisions and the Jet engine will handle the insertion of the data regardless of wether or not the user has write permisions, or will I still need write permissions to insert data...

Thanks again....

[circuits2]

You will need write permissions as well to execute INSERT and UPDATE statements because you are changing the contents of the file.