Consolidation of Access database variants

Over time the structure of the Workload Modeller database has evolved to accommodate newer and expanded functionality.

Until recently, Workload Modeller has performed an increasing number of checks on the fly every time it opened an Access database.

These checks result in either updates being made to the database structure or flags being set in Workload Modeller so the code works differently on different databases.

As part of introduction of SQL Server in Workload Modeller, these variants have been consolidated. There is just one logical structure which is the same on Access and SQL Server.

Now when Workload Modeller opens an ‘old’ Access database for the first time:

  1. A backup copy is created (e.g. wlm680_backup_9.0_v0.mdb is a copy of the original wlm680.mdb)
  2. The database being opened has its structure altered to the new current format. Internally this will be labelled as version 1.

Limitations

  1. Old shifts (pre 7.1.282) are no longer supported. Any shifts of this vintage are converted to the newer format with no loss of functionality.
  2. Resource tables no longer have a column for ‘staffing system’. Previously this column provided the ability to assign individual resources a ‘staffing system’ to override any staffing system for the base to which they were assigned. These values could only be set directly in Access.
  3. Staffing systems became largely redundant in the upgrade to Shifts in 7.1.282 but they can still be assigned to stations if desired.
  4. Some old databases may contain resource tables with staffing system values for appliances. In these cases, Turnout Models could yield different results if rerun.