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  1. #1
    sawdustmaker is offline Novice
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    Running Access from a server


    We are currently running a peer to peer windows network.
    We have a large table ins a db on one of the machines.
    When running from that machine it is super fast, however running queries across the network its slow as can be.

    Would running Access on a server make any difference?

    Kind of out of my wheelhouse as I have only worked with peer to peer.
    And since doing away with workgroups I am having a hard time doing that :-)

    Thank for any advice!

  2. #2
    orange's Avatar
    orange is offline Moderator
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  3. #3
    CJ_London is online now VIP
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    basically a server is just another computer on the network. However it is one that is spec'd to handle multiple connections, intensive disk read/writes etc so more expensive. Also your network may be slow - might be better to invest in a decent router and perhaps upgrade your network cards

    Without a decent network, installing a server is probably a wasted expense - although you will have the benefit of improved security.

    In addition to the link provided by Orange, take a look at this one as well. https://www.access-programmers.co.uk...d.php?t=291269

    Needless to say - I presume your db is split and each user has their own copy of of the front end on their machine.

  4. #4
    sawdustmaker is offline Novice
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    Yes DB is spit and all machines have gigabit.
    We are using the router from the cable company.
    Would using a different router really make a difference?

    I assume since running off the machine with the data db is super fast, that disk access is not the problem.
    I have it on a decent processor and of course a SSD.

    So what I seem to be getting here is that a server will not make much of a difference.

    I wrote the system originally on query by example starting about 12 years ago.
    I started adding some VB from by getting code of the web and modifying it.
    I am starting to learn a bit more VB.
    Seems to speed up a lot of functionality.

    So it looks like I need to read over both links carefully and move some functions to VB when possible.
    I was looking for an easy way out :-).
    Already working 12 hr days running the rest of the business.
    Stop and programing (when you not a coder to begin with) is really slow going for me.

    Thanks for all the info.

  5. #5
    CJ_London is online now VIP
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    Already working 12 hr days running the rest of the business.
    Stop and programing (when you not a coder to begin with) is really slow going for me.
    perhaps it's time to contract a professional developer? Can't remember who said it but there is a quote along the lines of 'a good leader is good at surrounding themselves with smart people'

    I would also add 'you can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear'

    Access is a client based system which means the front end is on each users machine and the data on a server. So the slowest part of your system is the network.

    With regards routers - the typical router supplied by your cable company might be achieving 1Gbps whilst you will find routers out there achieving 5-10 times that speed. The other thing to watch out for is whether the router can handle more than one device at a time

  6. #6
    sawdustmaker is offline Novice
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    I will look into the faster routers.
    The darn problem with getting a developer involved is that my application generates code for CNC routers.
    So it is generating G-Code or CIX, a proprietary language.
    There is also a lot of physics involved in cutting / vacuum hold down that has to be taken into account.
    So finding someone who has knowledge on both is almost impossible to find.

    My best bet may be to get out of the day to day operations and learn more coding skills.
    I have started to build that team.
    Hopefully by next year I will have that built out.

    We are a wholesaler of Custom Closet Parts for independent dealers.

    The application takes a large csv from a CAM (design program) and breaks down to wood parts, Hardware, Drawer Box, metal cutting,etc..
    Then generates code for different machines.

    So we have the one main server and 7 or 8 other machines that need to access that data.

    Is there something other than access that would be a better platform for this application?

  7. #7
    CJ_London is online now VIP
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    Sorry, don't know of another platform. Suspect either what you have is unique, in which case it is potentially a great USP to differentiate you from your competition, or it is a common enough requirement that someone has already developed a solution - might be worth talking to your cnc suppliers.

    I've worked with .dwg files in the past to pull out objects from drawings, but not to your level of requirement

  8. #8
    sawdustmaker is offline Novice
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    Yes, it seems at though it is our competitive advantage.
    I just spent $25K on the best software in the industry so I could get out of programing.
    Disastrous, hoping to get my $ back.
    It caused us to loose about 25 to 30% efficiency.
    When I compare our operations to my much larger competitors (usually using that software) we have half the manufacturing employees per unit of work done.
    And they all have back office staff.
    We do everything from the shop floor.

    I thought we could do a bunch of workarounds, but when we did simulated production, it did not work out.

    When we were shopping for software we ended up demoing ours for them and I would show them a feature I wanted and the would say we cant do that over and over.

    I thought about selling my software, but I do not want to take my eye of the business that is growing so fast.

    So now I have about a months work of coding to do to bring in a few capabilities that we were lacking.
    Getting that much time uninterrupted will be challenge, but I will get through it.
    As long as I am in there deep I though I would try to speed things up a bit.
    Thanks for all your suggestions.

  9. #9
    Dave14867's Avatar
    Dave14867 is offline Competent Performer
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    sawdustmaker,

    what software are you using to program the CNC's, is it something like MasterCam? How does Access fit into the equation? I'm not following what your trying to do?

  10. #10
    sawdustmaker is offline Novice
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    I am outputting the code direct from access.
    My Access app is the CAM program.
    I take in all the info from the CAD programs (we use 2) and then generate the code for the different machines.

    But it also is our manufacturing management system.

  11. #11
    Dave14867's Avatar
    Dave14867 is offline Competent Performer
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    That's very interesting, I never would have thought of using Access in that way. I used to work for a Software company that made software to import all different kinds of CAM software output then generate programs for all kinds of different placement machines and I know it was just a large database then scripts to output the machine programs in their native format so I guess it make sense the more I think of it. Do you import the .dxf files from CAD or what do you use as a starting point?

  12. #12
    sawdustmaker is offline Novice
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    I take in csv files.

  13. #13
    Dave14867's Avatar
    Dave14867 is offline Competent Performer
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    Very interesting, please keep me posted on how you make out. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help. I am not sure I am following your issue right now but please keep me updated.

Please reply to this thread with any new information or opinions.

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