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This file documents some research which I have done about the problem
involved in running the labtrack system with
an Access database on a network with multiple users.
At the moment I can not see any simple solution for this problem. I
cannot find any utility which I can run from a script and which will
return a certain value if the repair and compact process does not work.
All the utilities which I have found such as the miserable 'jetcomp.exe'
are GUI utilities which require the interaction of the user. A simple
version of a database backup script would; make a copy of the database,
check that it is repairable and compactable, and if so, store the backup
in a safe location. If the database is not repairable and compactable
then the script would send out the appropriate warning messages to
whoever had registered an interest in this problem. The script would
also somehow prevent anyone from using the corrupt database.
The step which I am stuck at is getting the script to work out if the
database is corrupt or not.
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The labtrack system is called a 'LIMS' system which stands for
laboratory information management system, and an 'ELN' system, which stands
for 'electronic laboratory notebook'.
http://ihome.cuhk.edu.hk/~b400559/arraysoft_database.html
A good list of lims software. But seems to be focussed on something
called 'micro-arrays', which dont really seem to have anything to do with
labtrack.
http://gnosis.sourceforge.net (url ?)
This is an open source lims system, but it is only in the planning
phase currently.
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http://www.datarevive.co.uk
A list of error messages which Access spits out when it has corrupted
data.
http://codetoad.com/vb_compact_db.asp
A tools to compact a database. This apparently can use the
command line, which would be useful in a script
http://www.rot13.org/~dpavlin/sql.html
This the page for the 'exportsql' vba program which create sql data and
table creation commands from an existing database. This may be useful
in order to restore corrupt data
http://www.mvps.org/access
An Access FAQ. A Perl OLE with Access example
http://www.fabalou.com/FullPrograms/Dbbackup.asp
A program to backup access at scheduled intervals. This is a gui program
and doesnt really seem to run in the 'background'.
http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/corruptmdbs.htm
A good page on corrupt Access databases.
http://www.experts-exchange.com/Databases/MS_Access/Q_20850824.html
A similar scenario to the labtrack one. Multiuser access 97 etc.
This recommends repairing through:
control panel ->administrative tools->odbc sources.
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Copy the mdb file locally before repairing and compacting.
Compact after repairing. If the compaction process doesnt work then
it means that the repair process probably didn't work
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Create a whole new database and insert objects and records into it
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Use the /decompile switch with access. This appears to have unpredictable
effects and it mainly to improve access applications and not data
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Use the latest 'jetcomp.exe' program. This is supposed to be a better version
of the Access repair and compact utilities.
support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q172733
An article about Jetcomp.exe and repairing databases. Good.
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It might be handy to have a cgi web-server to allow scripts to be
accessed by anyone in the office. For this reason, a list of small
web-servers that can run on NT. Apache seems to be overkill.
I didnt find anything which I could use without compiling
Anti-web
cgi ... No windows binary available. You have to compile it.
not very good web-site
abyss
small multi-platform. Nice simple blocky web-design.
No windows binaries available.
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Please note: Microsoft dont recommend using Access in a 'high stress'
environment. [*]
(under the heading 'Additional Best Practices for network environments')
http://www.commandline.co.uk/cmdfuncs/dandt/index.html#gettime
A function to get the time in NT/XP etc and many other NT functions.
These appear to work well.
To call a shell command from within Access you can use
call Shell(Environ$("COMSPEC") & "/c c:\test.bat", vbNormalFocus)
The /c switch closes the window after executing the command and the
'comspec' stuff returns the path to a command interpreter executable
which is usually called something like 'cmd.exe' or 'command.exe'
http://www.magsoftwrx.com/multiuser_database_corruption.htm
A page with software for this kind of problem but specifically for
another application.
The abyss web-site uses the htp hypertext
preprocessor.
I have tried to write a script which will may these Access problems
less of a problem
[*]
If you see errors on this page or want to add something you can
edit this page
[*document*]