Keeping Users Up-to-Date

A question frequently asked in the newsgroups is "How can I assure that users have an up-to-date copy of the database application and that they are linked to the correct copy of the shared data?" And, indeed, this is an issue both for Access-Jet database engine multi-user databases and Access client applications to server databases (such as Microsoft SQL Server).

Overview

In the "front-end" or "client application", keep the version number of the front-end or client application. In a table in the separate back end, or in the server tables, you keep two version numbers: the most recent version of the front-end that is available and the last mandatory replacement version (usually implies a front-end that is required because of a change in the shared data tables structure).

When a new version of the front-end or client application is ready for release, its version number is updated, and the appropriate corresponding numbers are updated in the shared or server tables.

In code automatically executed at startup of the front-end or application, check the local version against the version numbers stored in the shared or server tables. If there is a mandatory version more recent, then issue a MsgBox to the user that they must obtain the new version and Quit Access. If there is a more recent version, but it is not mandatory, issue a MsgBox to the user, and allow the user to quit or continue at the user's option.

Hints and Suggestions

See the information on System Info for implementation suggestions.