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.
On the internet there is a large amount of material about the problems with Access corruptions when it is running on a network.
Please note: Microsoft dont recomment using Access in a 'high stress' environment. See the article at http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;303519 and look under the heading 'Additional Best Practices for network environments'
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 This is an open source lims system, but it is only in the planning phase currently.
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.
ACCESS IMPROVEMENT SUGGESTIONS
To call a shell command from withing Access call Shell(Environ$("COMSPEC") & "/c c:\test.bat", vbNormalFocus) the /c switch closes the window after executing the command
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
Create a whole new database and insert objects and records into it
Use the /decompile switch with access. This appears to have unpredictable effects and it mainly to improve access applications and not data
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.
WEB SERVERS
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
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