Well, I have never tried this, but you SHOULD be able to cobble together the RunCommand instruction (acCmdOpenDatabase)?. This is NOT what I would recommend, however.
In the general sense, using data on a server should be accomplished with a "Split" database. Place the data segment of the app on the server and the remainder on the local drive.
Unless there is a LOT of data or activity, there should not be a need to compact the db each time reports are run (although it is a useful periodic maintenance activity).
You would normally link the data tables (on the server) to the reporting application (on the local system). If the server is set up for the nattering nabobs of e-mail and chat, AND the datasets are quite large, this process will often not be pratical. In these instances, you can either convince the net admin to change the network settings to be more favorable to the db uses - or copy the data to a local drive - and reference it from there.
Even in the latter approach, it is seldom appropiate to copy the entire MDB file from the server to the local drive. It will, of course, vary with the details of the application but the more common process would simply update the local tables from the server tables via queries.
In any of the above, You would still have a "Split" database with two copies of the data segment (one on the server and one on the local machine) and one reporting segment on the local system. the local system would have links to the local copy of the data segment and include the code which 'updates' the local copy of the data segment from the server copy.
There are many different approaches to 'getting' the data from the server for the use of the reporting process. In the above, I have briefly mentioned a few, so there are others which may be suggested. My suggestions (above) are not intended or expected to be restrictive or even the 'best' soloution, but only to highlight the issue of not needing to copy the entire database just to run repots.
MichaelRed
mred@att.net
There is never time to do it right but there is always time to do it over