Updating a central workbook on server in networked environment

[brucemc777]

Good Evening!!!

Wondering if anyone knew of any good reference material or examples of what I am about to do (try to do) -

As best an example would be if we consider a workbook on a central server. It has one page for each instructor and each page has a copy of their class roster - perhaps as simple as one line (row, record) per student, but would prefer a multi-line area per student, and one column (field) for each day of the year, and several rows so there would be a small column of data for each student including room for observation codes, time in class, maybe a small notes field-

Each instructor has a workbook and one of the pages is identical to the page on the server. Each tab would be coded to correspond to each instructor on the central server.

Each day the instructor updates attendance.

From here there are several possibilities, starting with the most desirable -

• At any point when the attendance page changes I use a change event to also copy and post the new information from the instructor's workbook to the server workbook.
• During the day whenever the instructor clicks the button the instructor workbook updates the server workbook.
• Every night after all have left the building the instructor workbooks update the central server workbook.

As to updating the information is concerned, I am considering two possible methods:

• Copying over the table from the instructor workbook and simply pasting that intact in the server workbook in totality, avoiding the problem of locating the specific date on the server workbook to update, or...
• Assigning the new information to variables, finding the corresponding cells in the workbook on the server side and pasting the information thereto.

My problem is years ago having programed in what then was a somewhat popular database environment called "Clipper", I well recall network programming - having to check if a file was open for writing and such. Since the file on the server will be sometimes closed but most of the time open for the receptionist to be able to view any student's absenteeism AND because another instructor's workbook could be also trying to access the other instructor's page to update their information, I am concerned over problems updating the information.

I strongly believe someone has done this before; probably many people many times, and it would be pretty stupid for me to try to "reinvent the wheel", so if anyone knows of an example working with server and client workbooks, please let me know; otherwise, if we have information on working within a network I would very much appreciate learning from it!!!



Also, I am not experienced with linking. Might this be a good situation to use such? What should I consider to try to decide and what implications would I run into if I did create a central server workbook with links to roughly 10 to 15 source workbooks?

[:) Sixthsense :)]

Better think to do it in Ms-Access

[brucemc777]

You got me interested; but why would you suggest this?

Your post is like one of those darned movie teasers!