Automated Database Merger

[ramsaymckee]

Hi all,

We have a database that collects data from multiple sources that are uploaded via wifi. This database is then replicated to another computer offsite. The way it interacts with our program we use to bring the data in is set up so that when you download the data, it marks the entry as already downloaded. But, with the way the replication is set up from server to server is basically a copy and paste method rather than a merger so that the "already downloaded" flag on the database is overwritten, leaving countless entries to have to sift through every time we use our program. Does anyone know a way that I can simply update from the main database to our secondary that it will just bring in the files rather than overwriting the entire database? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.

[Rawb]

There are a couple of ways you can do something like that, but probably the best is to export the "new" data from your database and then just import it into the offline copy. That way, you're only sending the updated data across and not the entire database.

I put together a similar setup for one of my databases that had to replicate back and forth between two locations: I programmed the database to generate an Excel spreadsheet with the contents of any changed/added/deleted Records.

I then set up a BATCH script on each system that, every 15 minutes, would pull across any of the Excel spreadsheets it found and store them locally.

Then, each time the database is opened, the Main Menu Form would look for those spreadsheets, import them, and then archive them elsewhere.

It took some doing, but now I have two databases - at separate locations - that update each other with no user interaction.