Access Database and Excel Spreadsheets syncing between 2 computers

Hi there,

I use a small number of spreadsheets and a modest Access database for
running my small business. During the day I am mobile using my I-Mate PDA2K
and laptop for data entry and scheduling. For office days I sync the
calenders and contacts of the Laptop and Desktop using the PDA and
Activesync. The Access database and Excel files are copied manually using
flash memory.

This is far from efficient and prone to cockups, like the one this morning
where I moved data to a full drive and lost some of it, but also, (being
hungover) I deleted the originals before the process had completed, requiring
the use of recovery software and several painkillers.


I have been trying to use Activesync (v. 4.1.0) to sync the files as well,
but am unsure of how AS handles the use of files between syncs.

I assume that files can not be open for the sync process to work - is this
true?

How does AS handle the creation/deletion of records within the [relational]
database?

The excel files are now found in a separate folder on the screen desktop; do
I open them from this folder or the parent folder in My Documents? Is this
new folder a shortcut, or a duplicate?

A typical days' operation is:

Sync PDA with laptop,
Sync PDA with desktop,
Make sure latest version of files are stored on both devices,
Go to work - editing both spreadsheets, calender, contacts and database on
the laptop,
Go home,
Sync PDA with both computers,
Copy updated files from laptop to desktop using flash memory.
Work on these files in Desktop computer.
Have a bottle of wine.
Go to bed.


What I want to be able to do is eliminate the file copying process and
incoporate it with the syncing process so that I do not lose data through my
own stupidity or condition through alcohol. This will also help to have
three copies in the real world and augment my normal backup routines.


Many thanks in advance.

Far be it from me to suggest a bit of moderation in the alcohol, sitting
here with my Black Velvet on the rocks...but..maybe at least wait till after
the important stuff is done.

I can't give you anything that will foolproof your system, but will give you
some insight. The MyPocketPC My Documents folder in My Documents on the
desktop has an automatically created shortcut on the desktop. I'm surprised
you haven't noticed the shortcut arrow on the desktop folder icon, or that
it isn't there if it isn't. They are the same place, and you can open the
files from either.

Syncing files is purely a matter of taking the one with the most recent
change date/time, and copying it over the other one when two units are
connected. If you are doing a ménage a trois, and change a file on the
desktop, then sync the laptop and PPC, and then the PPC and desktop, the
desk had the most recent file, the PPC now has it, but the laptop would
still be old. If you now open the laptop file and change a teh to the, it
will be the most recent when you sync the PPC, overwriting the Desktop
version you had on there. Be careful, get things sunk as soon as possible
all around, before you forget what you changed last.

The database is trickier. Since you are using AS 4.1 and it does not process
Access .mdbs (and there is no way to view an .mdb) I gather you are just
using the PPC to 'transfer' the .mdb from Laptop to desktop? In that case
it would function just like the other files, file with the latest change
date overwrites the whole other file.

Previous to AS4.x, AS actually translated the .mdb into a .cdb and sync'd on
a record basis, just like contacts would. I honestly hadn't tried a three
way setup on that, but I expect it would work as long as the initial linking
was done carefully. There is at least one third party DB company that says
it has restored the old Access sync functionality, but I haven't tried it
yet. Please let me/us know how you are working with the Access file for
some better info.



--
Sven
MVP - Mobile Devices
"Dan Robinson" <> wrote in message
news:CC9465D3-A1FC-46AB-BFDA-...
> Hi there,
>
> I use a small number of spreadsheets and a modest Access database for
> running my small business. During the day I am mobile using my I-Mate
> PDA2K
> and laptop for data entry and scheduling. For office days I sync the
> calenders and contacts of the Laptop and Desktop using the PDA and
> Activesync. The Access database and Excel files are copied manually using
> flash memory.
>
> This is far from efficient and prone to cockups, like the one this morning
> where I moved data to a full drive and lost some of it, but also, (being
> hungover) I deleted the originals before the process had completed,
> requiring
> the use of recovery software and several painkillers.
>
>
> I have been trying to use Activesync (v. 4.1.0) to sync the files as well,
> but am unsure of how AS handles the use of files between syncs.
>
> I assume that files can not be open for the sync process to work - is this
> true?
>
> How does AS handle the creation/deletion of records within the
> [relational]
> database?
>
> The excel files are now found in a separate folder on the screen desktop;
> do
> I open them from this folder or the parent folder in My Documents? Is
> this
> new folder a shortcut, or a duplicate?
>
> A typical days' operation is:
>
> Sync PDA with laptop,
> Sync PDA with desktop,
> Make sure latest version of files are stored on both devices,
> Go to work - editing both spreadsheets, calender, contacts and database on
> the laptop,
> Go home,
> Sync PDA with both computers,
> Copy updated files from laptop to desktop using flash memory.
> Work on these files in Desktop computer.
> Have a bottle of wine.
> Go to bed.
>
>
> What I want to be able to do is eliminate the file copying process and
> incoporate it with the syncing process so that I do not lose data through
> my
> own stupidity or condition through alcohol. This will also help to have
> three copies in the real world and augment my normal backup routines.
>
>
> Many thanks in advance.
>
>