Re: OpenOffice, Go-OO, ODBC, Offline Data Entry

[Joerg Bruehe]

Hi!


Jerry Schwartz wrote:
> I deal with a somewhat similar situation. Even though we have fast VPN 
> connections among our various offices, each has been afflicted with a 
> different database structure (and software) which they cannot change.
> 
> What I suggest you do is use the kind of "pseudo-synchronization" that we do. 
> Use a local copy of the application and database on each PC (MySQL will do 
> fine on even a modest system). Timestamp each record when you create or change 
> it.
> 
> When the user is back in contact with the office, extract all of the records 
> with timestamps newer than the last "synchronization" event and update the 
> central database.
> 
> Is this foolproof? Absolutely not, if there are conflicts between the changes 
> by different users. You'll be stuck with "He who write last, writes best"; but 
> I think that's as good as it's going to get for you.

AIUI, you could prevent that by having a second timestamp, "based-on":
If "based-on" in the new record is the same value as "changed-on" in the
central data base, update - if they differ, you had somebody else come
first and will now need some manual alignment.

> 
> How well this works depends upon the type of work. If the users have 
> non-overlapping "customers", or whatever, then it won't be too bad. You'll 
> have to judge for yourself.
> 
> [[...]]

HTH,
Jörg

-- 
Joerg Bruehe,  MySQL Build Team,  joerg.bruehe@stripped
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