Retro-fit Workgroup Authority Model To An Access 2000 Application

Hi,
I've been working hard at learning Access for past two months and spent a lot of time Googling and speeding through Alison Balter's books and at a slower pace the Paul Letwin’s Developers Handbook set (fantastic but I probably need a year to absorb the incredible detail).

I've built a prototype reconciliation tool using the recommended FE-BE model. I opted for a total ADO solution and have had great success in putting together a fast and useful tool for 10+ users.

I avoided using Workgroups in my design and developed my own basic sign-on authority model which allowed an Administrator (don't confuse with Admin user in Workgroups) to add new users who can use the Access app. The allowable users and which ones are signed on are stored in the BE. This all works reasonable well until network issues occur and the signed on user record on the BE is not reset as should be if the user signed-off genuinely.

This is where I realised I need to be able to monitor who is connected to the BE. There is a way of doing that using ADO which I can get to work. I then noticed because all users are signed on with Workgroup Admin as default I could not differentiate between users. I then decided to implement Workgroup authority retrospectively.

I decided to place the .mdw on the LAN with the BE (this seems to go against conventional wisdom but could not workout how else I could achieve what I wanted to). This enables the two Administrators in different places to maintain users via the FE. I use the /wrkgrp command line flag to point to the correct .mdw.

I then started getting all sort of problems . . .I'm still in testing . . . not so bad but deadlines are looming and I'm worried.

Sorry, I digress. . .the problem I seem to be getting is when I open the FE :

Run-time error -2147217843 (80040e4d)
Cannot start your application. The workgroup information file is missing or opened exclusively by another user

I also have problems developing the FE with the workgroup file in place. It seems to complain about another user is locking the FE.

The problem is a little verbose but just trying to paint a picture . . .now, this is what I'm after. . .I need the following ability:

1. Two Administrators who can maintain users. When a new user is added the Administrator chooses a password.
2. When the new user signs on the user is prompted to enter new password.
3. The administrators can view who is genuinely signed on and reset accounts appropriately.

I am currently studying the Access Security sections in the Paul Letwin book to better understand what is going on. It does seem retro-fitting an app to a workgroup model is not straightforward. Admittedly, I should have considered Workgroups in my design before starting (I will know).

Thanks for staying with me if you're still reading . . .any suggestion/pointers would be great.

Lastly, using Access 2000 : O/S W2000