DBEngine.Idle method (DAO)

Applies to: Access 2013, Office 2013

Suspends data processing, enabling the Microsoft Access database engine to complete any pending tasks, such as memory optimization or page timeouts (Microsoft Access workspaces only).

Syntax

expression .Idle(Action)

expression A variable that represents a DBEngine object.

Parameters

Name	Required/optional	Data type	Description
Action	Optional	Variant	Specifies the action to take.

Remarks

The Idle method allows the Microsoft Access database engine to perform background tasks that may not be up-to-date because of intense data processing. This is often true in multiuser, multitasking environments that don't have enough background processing time to keep all records in a Recordset current.

Usually, read locks are removed and data in local dynaset-type Recordset objects are updated only when no other actions (including mouse movements) occur. If you periodically use the Idle method, the Microsoft Access database engine can catch up on background processing tasks by releasing unneeded read locks.

Specifying the optional dbRefreshCache argument refreshes memory with only the most current data from the database.

You don't need to use this method in single-user environments unless multiple instances of an application are running. The Idle method may increase performance in a multiuser environment because it forces the database engine to write data to disk, releasing locks on memory.

Note

You can also release read locks by making operations part of a transaction.

Example

This example uses the Idle method to ensure that an output procedure is accessing the most current data available from the database. The IdleOutput procedure is required for this procedure to run.

Sub IdleX() 
 
 Dim dbsNorthwind As Database 
 Dim strCountry As String 
 Dim strSQL As String 
 Dim rstOrders As Recordset 
 
 Set dbsNorthwind = OpenDatabase("Northwind.mdb") 
 
 ' Get name of country from user and build SQL statement 
 ' with it. 
 strCountry = Trim(InputBox("Enter country:")) 
 strSQL = "SELECT * FROM Orders WHERE ShipCountry = '" & _ 
 strCountry & "' ORDER BY OrderID" 
 
 ' Open Recordset object with SQL statement. 
 Set rstOrders = dbsNorthwind.OpenRecordset(strSQL) 
 
 ' Display contents of Recordset object. 
 IdleOutput rstOrders, strCountry 
 
 rstOrders.Close 
 dbsNorthwind.Close 
 
End Sub 
 
Sub IdleOutput(rstTemp As Recordset, strTemp As String) 
 
 ' Call the Idle method to release unneeded locks, force 
 ' pending writes, and refresh the memory with the current 
 ' data in the .mdb file. 
 DBEngine.Idle dbRefreshCache 
 
 ' Enumerate the Recordset object. 
 With rstTemp 
 Debug.Print "Orders from " & strTemp & ":" 
 Debug.Print , "OrderID", "CustomerID", "OrderDate" 
 Do While Not .EOF 
 Debug.Print , !OrderID, !CustomerID, !OrderDate 
 .MoveNext 
 Loop 
 End With 
 
End Sub