6.3 Find All Records with Names That Sound Alike

Chapter 10. Multiuser Applications

Access offers native support, right out of the box, for multiuser applications. But this additional power brings with it some additional problems, chiefly those of coordinating multiple users who may be spread across a large network. This chapter explores some solutions to common problems in multiuser applications. You'll learn how to use a shared database table to help your users communicate with one another and see how to find out which users are logged in at any given time. You'll also learn how to implement basic transaction logging, how to determine who has a record locked, and how to prevent a user from locking a record for an excessive time period. Because multiuser applications often use Access security, we also explore the security system in detail. For instance, you'll learn how to properly secure your database, how to keep track of your users and groups, and how to check if they have blank passwords. You'll also see how you can maintain separate but synchronized copies of a database using Access replication.