How to network V-Base

Would you like to have V-Base running on more than one machine? This guide will help you set this up.

Networking V-Base

V-Base can be networked, allowing more than one person to use and interrogate the same data at the same time.

To do this, you must already have either a peer-to-peer or server-based network set up and configured. If you're not sure what you have, it is best to get someone in to do this and explain how it works. 

Note that in order to install V-Base on any additional computers, or to install V-Base on a network from scratch, you will need to have a CD of the latest version of V-Base. If you do not have this or would like to know more about installing V-Base please read this guide. 

Please read this entire document before making any changes to your existing installation or performing an additional installation.

V-Base configuration – basic principles

The two most important files are V-BaseBE.mdb and V-BaseSys.mdw and it is these two that need to be shared over the network.

V-BaseBE.mdb contains the live data and V-BaseSys.mdw contains user names and passwords. They are always found in the same folder. This is all that is shared - the V-Base program itself requires installing on each PC using setup.exe, either from CD or a network location. Copying the V-Base directory from another PC will not work.

Keep in mind that to network V-Base you must always have exactly the same V-base version and build number installed on all computers.

Networking an existing live version of V-Base

If you plan to network an existing live copy of V-Base first check within V-Base, in the technical section, under general settings, for the current location of the V-BaseBE.mdb and V-BaseSys.mdw files. By default, V-Base installs these files to C:Program FilesV-BaseData, but check general settings that this is correct. Make a note of the current location.

Before continuing, it is strongly recommended that you use the backup function in V-Base to make a copy of your data. If you are planning to install V-Base onto additional PCs, ensure that you have a copy of the latest version of V-Base on CD. Under no circumstances use an older version of the software, as this is likely to cause conflicts. 

Decide on a central location on the network to hold the V-BaseBE.mdb and V-BaseSys.mdw files. Create a new shared folder, and give full network read/write permission for all those who need access to it. Name the folder something that will clearly indicate its contents, e.g. V-Base Data, and share it using the same name. Move the two files to this new location. Then, on each PC that you intend to run V-Base, map this shared folder as network drive. We suggest that you map it as V: and make sure that “Reconnect at logon” is ticked when creating the drive mapping.

To complete the configuration you need to tell V-Base the new location of the data and security file.  There are two ways of doing this:

Option 1: Changing the ini file

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

This is the preferred way of changing an existing installation. The paths to the database and the security file are held in a file called V-Base.ini, which is located in the root of the folder that V-Base was installed to. The default location is C:Program FilesV-Base (or C:V-Base on MS Windows Vista) and you can open the V-Base.ini file in notepad by double-clicking it.

If you change the location of the database and security file, you need to update the mdbfilepath and systemfilepath values within the ini file. You should also change the Log File path to the same location, to ensure that a central error log is maintained. In the below image you can see an example of the paths to a shared folder mapped as V drive.

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

Once you have changed the above three paths, try launching V-Base to confirm that the new location is accessible.

Option 2:    Reinstalling V-Base

Install, or re-install, V-Base from CD on each PC making sure that, when it asks for the location of the data, you select the new data location by using the browse option.

Note: The installation routine will place an empty copy of the data file in the selected folder if one isn't found and it will configure V-Base to use it. So, if after doing this exercise you've lost your data, this is the most likely reason. To rectify the situation, re-install, ensuring the correct new networked location is selected. 

Following installation or updating the ini files and establishing that you can access the data in its central location, ensure that you delete any spare copies of V-BaseBE.mdb or V-BaseSys.mdw so they don't get confused with the live set. Once you have done this and have established that the new, shared folder still contains copies of V-BaseBE.mdb or V-BaseSys.mdw, empty your recycle bin.

Register a newly installed copy of V-Base on a PC - the same registration details can be used if you so wish. The registration wizard will also allow you to finish immediately after the registration name and number have been entered and confirmed. If it doesn't, then the registration process hasn't found any logon names in the security file, V-BaseSys.mdw.

Networking V-Base from scratch

To install V-Base for the first time using a network, first create a central shared folder with network read/write permission for all who need it. Again, we would suggest you name the folder something that will clearly indicates its contents, e.g. V-Base Data. Next, on each PC that you intend to run V-Base, map this shared folder. We would suggest that you map it as V: and make sure that “Reconnect at logon” is ticked when creating the drive mapping.

Then install the latest version of V-Base from CD, making sure that, when prompted, you specify the network location for the shared data (see picture above).

Register V-Base on each machine, the first time completing the registration process by adding a logon name and password (on subsequent machines this step won't be necessary as the original logon name and password can be used).

Checking the network configuration

After V-Base has been configured to work on a network, check in general settings that the correct data and security files are referenced.

If more than one person is using V-Base, then the current users (as indicated in the note) should reflect this number (this number represent the number of users using the same data file, rather than the number of times V-Base is open, but this should tally).