I am working on a database for a company to manage contacts, and I do not work anywhere near their offices, therefore it is all done remotely. I have finished one version of it, and they have started using it. But how do I create new improved versions that I can email to them, and they can install WITHOUT losing the records that they have created? The long way around this would be to have them email me their current version and I work on that, but this means a disruption in their ability to use the database. If anyone has any idea if i can do this then please give me a shout!!

you get to do fun things with scripts... i.e. make a script in the old / new files called export all... that goes through all the tables and exports all records to a static location on your clients computer... if your using serial numbers well make sure your script notes those to... anyway then your new file just executes a complimentary script that imports all those exported records from the default location and sets all serial numbers to their next default value... and then all your client data should be restored...

to do this all automatically.. when the new file runs for the first time just make it run the export script in the old file... and then run the import script after waiting a while...

genx

You might also or instead install remote workstation management software (like Timbuktu) on your workstation and your client's host machine, so you can connect remotely to run the imports yourself, or at least investigate problems.