Auto FE Updater

Terminal Server/Citrix implementation

With Terminal Server or Citrix implementations there is usually no local %appdata% folder to which you can place the  Auto FE Updater target folder containing the Access FE database file and other files.   The Auto FE Updater supports folder naming by Windows user logon id to so you can use user specific folders on either the Terminal Server or the file server.   Terminal Server is also known as Remote Desktop Services in Windows Server 2008 R2.

The ideal solution would be to copy the FE to a user directory right on the Terminal Server itself.   This will avoid having to load objects over the network which can be somewhat sluggish.  However some network administrators are reluctant to do this.   So setup the multiple copies of the FE on a server located near the Terminal Server.  Possibly the same server as the backend. 

Also see my Random thoughts on Microsoft Access, Terminal Server and/or Citrix.

Note though that you can use the users default home directory, or whatever directory you choose, so long as they are on the same LAN as the backend. If, however, some users are on the WAN or remote LAN, even if at 10 mpbs, you want to put the FE database file either on the backend server or preferably on the Citrix server local to the back end.

To use an example. A client has offices scattered across Canada each with their own set of Citrix Servers and file servers with the application on a file server in Alberta. Some users in Ontario use a Citrix server system in Ontario.  But you do not want the users in Ontario to use the home directory which is in Ontario to store the Access FE.  You will be getting all the performance and corruption problems we warn you about.  Therefore we used a user specific folder on the file server in Alberta.

Note that if you are in a mixed environment of local workstations and Terminal Server/Citrix applications you will very likely require two configuration files.

Also see the Terminal Server RemoteApp page.

Citrix implementation

The Auto FE Updater utility is generally started by the user by using a shortcut or LNK file on their desktop  However you can't publish a Citrix app using an LNK file. (At least not when the client was using Citrix servers a number of years ago.)   Instead you can create a CMD file containing the same text as is in the target of the shortcut.  Use the ShortCutCMDFileName or ShortCutBATFileName options.  Publish the Citrix app using that CMD file.  CMD files and BAT files are the same concept.