"locked by another user" while Access DB is minimized

[bobnicholson]

I have an Access 2007 application installed on a network with 12 users. Each user has their own copy of the front end (FE) database .accdb file. The backend (BE) database .accdb file is on a drive mapped to a shared folder on the server.

The FE database contains links to tables in the BE database. Forms in the FE are bound to tables in the BE. Users typically open the FE application main form, which is not bound to a table, at the start of the day and leave it open all day. The application window is minimized when not in use.

Users were experiencing delays when first using the application after it was minimized for a while. I suspected that the table links to the server were timing out while the application was minimized and the connection to the server had to be reestablished. So, I bound the main form to a linked table to keep the server connection up. This worked - no more delays.

Now, users are getting "Can not save; locked by another user" error boxes popping up randomly throughout the day - even when the FE application is minimized and not actively using the BE data tables.

I have error handling in all the FE forms and no form error handler is being hit when these error boxes pop up. So, my theory is that the error message is not referring to a data table in the BE but rather to the BE .laccdb file which is periodically being updated by the 12 users keeping the BE database connections open. And, occasionally 2 users try to update the .laccdb file at the same time.

Am I correct that the locking error message refers to the BE .laccdb file? If yes, how can I stop the locking error messages from popping up on the users screens?

Or, is there a better way to solve my first problem of delays after the application has been idle for a while?

[NTC]

well I've never seen the problem of which you speak; and so because it seems you've traded one problem for another - - I would recommend you go back to square one. I've never seen advice from advanced Microsoft MVPs in implementing what you did - - but I've been wrong before.

as to why your app is slow after being minimized for a long time strikes me more of an XP resource issue. but that is just a guess. however advising users to close, rather than minimize due to XP's inherent RAM limitation is actually good advice in regard to all applications they use and not just Access...

sorry to dodge the bullet but that's the best I have right now.