refreshing linked tables in access

Question

Hey. I have the main access database located on a stand alone PC off the network and i have a access database with linked tables on the network linked back to the stand alone PC. I have linked the tables by creating a network share to the stand alone PC and linking them though a path. Can i set it up so that when the database is opened it automatically updates the linked tables. Ben

Answer 1

You can. I often find it convenient to use a small check form that runs on start-up (set through start-up options) and checks a variety of things, including linked tables. To this end, I also hold a table of linked tables on the local machine, although a list of linked tables can be obtained by iterating through the TableDefs collection, I think it is slightly safer to keep a list.

The check form can check all links and if a link is broken or missing, either ask the user for a new location or use a fixed location. If no problems are found, the form can close itself and open a menu or other form.

In the case of linking to a linked table, it is possible to get the connection to use from:

 CurrentDB.TableDefs("TableName").Connection

Here are some more notes:

Sub RelinkTables(Optional strConnect As String = "")
Dim db As DAO.Database
Dim rs As DAO.Recordset
Dim strSQL
Dim tdf As DAO.TableDef

On Error GoTo TrapError

    Set db = CurrentDb

    If strConnect = "" Then
        ''Where Me.txtNewDataDirectory is a control on the check form
        strConnect = "MS Access;PWD=databasepassword;DATABASE=" & Me.txtNewDataDirectory
    End If

    ''Table of tables to be linked with two fields TableName, TableType
    Set rs = CurrentDb.OpenRecordset("Select TableName From sysTables " _
           & "WHERE TableType = 'LINK'")

    Do While Not RS.EOF
        ''Check if the table is missing
        If IsNull(DLookup("[Name]", "MSysObjects", "[Name]='" & rs!TableName & "'")) Then
            Set tdf = db.CreateTableDef(RS!TableName, dbAttachSavePWD, _
                rs!TableName, strConnect)
            ''If the table is missing, append it
            db.TableDefs.Append tdf
        Else
            ''If it exists, update the connection
            db.TableDefs(rs!TableName).Connect = strConnect
        End If
        db.TableDefs(rs!TableName).RefreshLink
        RS.MoveNext
    Loop

    Set db = Nothing
    RS.Close
    Set RS = Nothing


Exit_Sub:
    Exit Sub

TrapError:
    HandleErr Err.Number, Err.Description, "Relink Tables"

End Sub