refreshing linked tables in access - ms-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