Question

I have a problem with a VB6 app using a Access-MDB database.

A customer has the .MDB and app .EXE located on a network drive over a wifi network. On one of the workstations, when the app is invoked by a shortcut to the .EXE on the network drive there are no errors, but when the app is installed and run locally on the workstation (with the .MDB remaining on the network drive) there is an error.

Here is the relevant part of the code. The error message reported is “Unable to update at this time. Try again later.”

Private Sub UpdateHistory()

Dim ecnt As Integer
Dim bInTrans As Boolean

On Error GoTo HistErr

bInTrans = False
ecnt = 0
Randomize
DBEngine.SetOption dbLockDelay, 90 + Rnd * 60
DBEngine.Idle dbRefreshCache
SWWorkspace.BeginTrans
If action = 1 Then
    historyfile.AddNew
    historyfile("customerid") = gblpkey
    historyfile("operatorid") = CurrentOperator
    historyfile("type") = gbltype
    historyfile("date") = Format(Now, "dd/mm/yyyy hh:mm:ss")
    If gbltype = 1 Or gbltype = 2 Or gbltype = 6 Then
      historyfile("rtype") = "Manual"
    End If
Else   
    historyfile.Edit
End If
saveDate = historyfile("date")
historyfile("memo") = ptext
historyfile.Update
SWWorkspace.CommitTrans dbForceOSFlush
bInTrans = False

Exit Sub

HistErr:

    ecnt = ecnt + 1
    If ecnt > 10 Then
        If bInTrans Then
          SWWorkspace.Rollback
          bInTrans = False
        End If
        Screen.MousePointer = vbDefault
        MsgBox "Unable to update at this time. Try again later. "     
        Exit Sub
    End If

  sleep 1
  DBEngine.Idle dbRefreshCache
  Resume

End Sub

Answer 1

The problem disappeared when I placed the EXE on the network drive and put a shortcut to it on the other workstation. I can only assume that invoking an EXE via a shortcut to a network location plays some part in preventing a wifi connection dropping out when accessing an MDB.