Can an Ms Access database create a backup of itself while it's open using vba?

Question

Background: I have a process that links Quickbooks to Ms Access. If a button is pressed, some information will be queried from Quickbooks and then updates M

Answer 1

You can use the following line of code, This is assuming you have a split database:

Public Sub CompactDB()
dim strFrom as string
dim strTo as string

strFrom = "C:\Your Database Location Including File Name and Extension"
strTo = "C:\Your new Database backup location File Name and Extension"

DBEngine.CompactDatabase strFrom, strTo

End Sub

NOTE This will not compact your current backend (strFrom), This makes a copy of back end located at strFrom to the new location (strTo).

Just have a button click or event from another from call this sub.

But, the way I handle this is make a table that stores 2 fields. Field 1 is named "DestinationFrom", Field 2 is named "DestinationTo". Then I store records like below:

DestinationFrom = C:\Destination of current back end

DestinationTo = C:\Back Up destination

Then use the following code:

Public sub CompactDB()
dim rst as dao.recordset
dim strSQL as string
dim strLocation as string
Dim strDestination as string

strsql = "SELECT * " & _
         "FROM DestinationTable;"
set rst = currentdb.openrecordset(strsql)
strlocation = rst![DestinationFrom]
strdestination = rst![DestinationTo]
rst.close
set rst = nothing

DBEngine.CompactDatabase rst![DestinationFrom] , rst![DestinationTo]

if not rst is nothing then
rst.close
set rst = nothing
end if
End Sub

This way, if my code ever fails cause a folder was deleted or moved, I can change the string location in the field on the table without needing to change anything that was hard coded and needing to release a new copy. Very useful when allowing multiple users in a split database