.accdb vs. .accdt

[VAer]

.accdb: Access Database (2007, 2010, 2013, 2016)
.accdt: Access Database Template (2007, 2010, 2013, 2016)

What is the difference exactly? If the file is on workplace share drive and could be used by multiple people at the same time and the file involves login username/password connecting to ODBC sybase database, should I use .accdt?



Does .accdt mean "when double clicking the file, it opens a copy of the file, but not the actual file"? Is it similar to Excel .xltm ?

Thanks.

[ranman256]

Just use accdb. Keep it simple.

[VAer]

Just use accdb. Keep it simple.

But accdb may not be the one I need. Assuming the Access-based application is in Workplace share drive folder, multiple people use it at the same time, everyone enters username/password to pull data from ODBC database.

Template file may allow everyone to open a copy of application, so everyone works on his/her own opened file (in computer temporary folder?).

[isladogs]

.
Does .accdt mean "when double clicking the file, it opens a copy of the file, but not the actual file"? Is it similar to Excel .xltm ?.

That's the basic idea. I hardly ever use accdt files.
I agree about using accdb but, in a multi-user environment, you need to split your database
IMPORTANT: each user needs their own copy of the front end on their own computer with the backend data in a shared network folder

[VAer]

That's the basic idea. I hardly ever use accdt files.
I agree about using accdb but, in a multi-user environment, you need to split your database
IMPORTANT: each user needs their own copy of the front end on their own computer with the backend data in a shared network folder

Access-based application itself does not have any data, but it will be used as a tool. People log in (username/password), then connect to ODBC database, then use command button to perform all the tasks. User does not need to save the data into Access file, for example, user can use the tool to generate report based on ODBC database.

I don't quite agree everyone has one copy in computer drive, I prefer to have it in workplace share drive folder, and tool may be constantly updated. Everyone can use the most current version file in shared drive folder.

Thanks.

[isladogs]

Whatever you may prefer, having multiple users sharing the same FE is guaranteed to lead to corruption.
Even if the Access FE has no data, the code will at some point become corrupted & the database will become unusable.

Its easy to ensure everyone has the latest copy of the Access app by automatically downloading newer version from the shared drive where available
For info, attached is an explanation of how I manage this taken from the help file of one of my apps

ProgramUpdates.pdf

[VAer]

That is the whole thread about. accdt should let each user open a copy of the file, but not the file itself. So everyone's opened file is independent, and the file location should be in his/her computer's temporary folder? Not in shared drive folder. There will be no corruption issue in this case.

I am not sure if I understand accdt correctly.

Whatever you may prefer, having multiple users sharing the same FE is guaranteed to lead to corruption.
Even if the Access FE has no data, the code will at some point become corrupted & the database will become unusable.

Its easy to ensure everyone has the latest copy of the Access app by automatically downloading newer version from the shared drive where available
For info, attached is an explanation of how I manage this taken from the help file of one of my apps

ProgramUpdates.pdf

[isladogs]

Yes I realise that, but its at best a convoluted way of dealing with the issue if you can get it to work at all
I don't recommend using ACCDT for this purpose

[CJ_London]

accdt should let each user open a copy of the file

a) considering your earlier concerns about security be aware that a template is not secure, it is stored as xml and is not a copy database
b) I could be wrong, but given they are intended for use by developers, I believe they need to be stored in the templates folder in the users Appdata folder - i.e. not on a network
c) users will need a full version of access to open it - they will need to select the templates option then template
d) I don't use them but given they are a template file in xml I would anticipate that when a user opens it they will be prompted for a file location and file name to store the new db to be created from the template

But give it a go, there are a number of sample templates included with Access, it would appear no one here (professional developer or not) has extensive experience of using them - perhaps you can pioneer a new way of distributing a front end.

Access-based application itself does not have any data, but it will be used as a tool. People log in (username/password),

so where are you storing user rights? or do you mean they can just open the front end and the login is achieved via ODBC?

[JoeM]

I don't quite agree everyone has one copy in computer drive, I prefer to have it in workplace share drive folder, and tool may be constantly updated. Everyone can use the most current version file in shared drive folder.

That is the best practice - for everyone to have their own copy of the front-end database. Making sure that everyone has the most recent copy is not a problem at all.

In addition to the method ridders showed you (which unfortunately I cannot download from my current location), here is how I do it.
Instead of giving them the front-end database, I give them a shortcut to an executable file (DOS command or VBS) which copies the front-end from a central location I have on the network down to a designated place on their hard-drive and opens it up. So when they click on this, it is essentially downloading a fresh copy of the front-end every time. So, if I have any updates to make to the front-end, all I need to do is replace the main copy in the central network location, and everything flows nicely.

I have used this process many times with various databases, and have not had any problems.