Copy/duplicate database

[Mverm0]

Hello,



I am new at Access. I have an excisting database but i would look to copy/duplicate it from on computer to another. Because i would like to start experimenting in the excisting database, but without changing things in the real one.

How would you duplicate it, because if i just 'copy' it. I have to change some pathways, but i don't know how.

[JoeM]

I find the easiest way to copy it is from Windows Explorer.

[Mverm0]

Yeah, but then i need to change it's directories/paths. Because it's linked to another drive.

[JoeM]

Go to the Table object, right click, and select "Linked Table Manager". If you check all the linked tables and the box that says "Always prompt for new location", you will be able to change where those linked tables are connecting to.

[Mverm0]

Let me state it different.

I would like to make an exact duplicate. But if i do this on my computer and i change something in this database, i changed it in both databases. I would like to have the same database, but not connected.

[JoeM]

I assume that you are talking about data changes and not design changes?
It sounds like you want the best of both worlds. They are either connected to the same back-end tables, or they are not.

If you want changes that you make to be reflected in the other databases, these are the ways I can think of to do that:
1. Have everyone use the same database (not really recommended)
2. Have everyone linked to the same back-end tables
3. Redistribute the database tables that you are using to everyone else every time you make a change
4. Create an Update or Append Query for all your data changes, and distribute that to everyone every time you make a change

But truth be told, your request is an odd one to me. I have never heard of anyone wanting to do anything like this. Usually, people use linked tables because they want one central set of data to be used that everyone updates, or they each have their own copy of the data because they don't want changes to be distributed to everyone.

[Mverm0]

I would like to use my own copy and don't want the changes distributed to everyone.

But if i copy it, it will keep distributing all the changes to everyone.

[JoeM]

I would like to use my own copy and don't want the changes distributed to everyone.

But if i copy it, it will keep distributing all the changes to everyone.

Then you probably need different versions (really, different databases). Some that are linked to local tables on each's user's computers, and some that are linked to tables on the network that everyone has access to.

It still seems like a bizarre situation to me. If you explain what the big picture here is, and why you want to do it this way, maybe we can suggest alternatives.