best way to run the database file, google drive?

[mike_980]

I have just finished a database for use on my farm for tracking different things. We have around 5 computers which could potentially need to access the database but they are not all on the same network as such but they all have internet access.

At present I havn't split into a front and backend it is all in one huge 30mb file on my hard drive, so I was thinking to maybe split the backend and store on google drive then distibute the front ends out, with a copy of access runtime? (only my laptop has access installed)



I just did a quick test using the in built split database tool in access 2013 and it seemed to go well, until I tried opening the front end on another PC with runtime and it seemed to think the file path didn't exist?

Am I on the right lines here or is there no real need to split into a front and backend as it won't need to be open on more than one PC at a time, I have been toying with backup sections of code though and it seems that for that, it really needs a split database.

[June7]

If you don't split it then can't be installed on each PC, not if you want the data common to all. Everyone would have to open and run the same file from the same location. I have one db that is managed this way and no problems so far but it is really not advisable.

The linking to backend defaults to drive letter pathing. Unless everyone has the exact same letter drive/path mapped on each computer, the frontend won't find the backend. Use of UNC pathing eliminates that issue. I use a VBA procedure to change table links from drive letter to UNC.

Not sure a front end can link directly to backend on a web share. That may be what SharePoint is for along with a web database.

[Dal Jeanis]

You need some other quick tests to identify the actual issue.

Forget splitting your real database - do your field testing with a trivial stub database. Create one junk table (BE) and one junk form and junk query (FE). See if you can get the other computers to connect to the BE.

If you can make it work, THEN you can split BE/FE.

If you can't make it work, you've saved hours of mucking with your complex application, and of being confused by things that aren't relevant.