Making changes to an old database

[SasiN]

I have an old database which was created few years back. It is a multi-user application and currently 4 users are updating the data regularly. Now I am planning to split the DB as back-end and front-end. But before that I have taken a copy of the DB and made some changes (new forms and queries only). Now, can I use the modified copy to split the DB and use the updated tables from the old DB ? How do I go about ? Please help.

[June7]

Delete the tables from the new copy and set links to the tables that are in the original. Delete queries, forms, reports, code from the original.

Give each user their own copy of the frontend.

Each user will need the same drive letter mapping to the location of the backend on the server. Or use UNC pathing in the table links before distributing the db.

[SasiN]

Thanks for the quick response. That means I can do all modifications to forms and queries on the copy (which I have already taken) and then set the links from COPY to ORIGINAL DB as mentioned by you.

Sorry, I didn't get the last suggestion. Is it to copy the MODIFIED COPY to each user's PC as front-end and then relink to the back-end table using the linked table manager ?

[June7]

Create the table links in the frontend first, then distribute to each user. Each user must have the same drive letter mapped that is referenced in the links, unless you set the frontend links as UNC path.

[NTC]

the disconnect for me is the opening statement: "a multi-user application and currently 4 users are updating the data regularly"

this implies that the database is already split. It certainly should be unless the 4 use it round-robin with never more than 1 at a time - otherwise it typically corrupts.

but in either case as J7 notes - one can import objects from 1 db to another. Objects are in the navigation pane: Tables, Queries, Forms, Reports, etc. So you can go in either direction and import what you need from one to the other. This is found in the External Data tab of the ribbon. When you import an object of the same name it will automatically append a 1 to the name. Deleting tables can sometimes get hung up in relationships that prevent deletions which needs to be managed. Also if the Name Auto Track feature option is still set on - that should probably be turned off.