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Microsoft Access 2002/XP

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by cgoeckel

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Does anyone have suggestions on how to edit out a database on a monthly or quarterly basis?

Currently one of staff uses Access to track information on 5 stations between our two buildings. She downloads the information monthly for a report. Each month or so I am running around to each of the 5 stations and having to remove old data because the file has gotten too big to be downloaded.

It isn't easy to do. The stations do not have access on them. I have to pull each database from the machines and then manually remove the old data and put it back on the machine.

Any suggestions would be helpful!

Mind you I am working with folks who don't have too much know how in Office products other than point, click and type.

8 replies

by tony hopkinson

then it's too big for access.If I'm understanding correctly you've got five databases and said staff member is downloading them all on to one machine to run the reports. So if you move the database(s) off the five stations onto one central server and then provide a link to that for reports you get rid of the downloading problem.
You could simply move the access database(s) onto a shared drive, but how practical that would be depends on the data collection rates, the state of your network, having a machine capable of doing it etc. A client/server solution would get rid of your problems forever, but would potentially involve a fair bit of development/training effort.

by cgoeckel

We don't have a central server available for that function unfortunately!

The "server" we use for tracking our patrons checkouts (we are a library) is about 15 years old. The program is called dynix. The stations with the database run on Windows XP with a program called Flash Scan. It works just like the express checkouts in stores where you check yourself out.

The flash scan system is able to tie into the "server" we use. The "server" is an IBM 6000 desktop running a special OS. I don't deal with that part of the system since it is "supposedly" going away.

But I will see if maybe we can turn one of the unused patron desktops (we have spares in case of hardware failure) into a server to be used.

Thank you for the suggestion though...that might be a better solution then the running around. Hopefully someone outside of our department doesn't kill the idea simply because they don't like it...which happens frequently.

Again thanks!

by jdmercha

There are better options than this but if you don't want to change your process...

Get a blank copy of the database. After the download is complete go to each station and overwirte the database with the blank one.

You could even keep a copy of the blank databose on each station and create a scheduled task that will do it for you.

by cgoeckel

I wish that would be an option. It would make it easier. BUT I work with folks who want to keep the data from the previous month available in the data base to compare. So I can't put a blank one out there.

Working for public entities isn't easy. Records have to be kept for viewing if the public asks. We have files going back 10 years.

by cgoeckel

Have to give this a try...the user who runs the reports 99% of the time listens when you tell her what to do and how to do it.

by cgoeckel

This is the weird part. The databases are on 5 machines and each one is a different size.

The machines are used by the public for checking out their books/DVDs/CDs etc.

2 are used more frequently then the rest due to where they are. Their data usually is anywhere between 30MB and 50MB.

So upon doing the as of this week "requested" quarterly clearing of the data so as to keep it around just in case the size will be huge.

But that would work as well.

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