Access to Web Conversion

B

Bernie

I have designed an extensive database (front-end/back-end) for data
management that involves many many, many tables, queries, forms, and reports.
I am now interested in determining whether I can move this database to a
web-based application, but seeing as how so much work has been done to the
front-end database, I was wondering if there are any tools available that
assist with leveraging the existing database objects?

Bernie
 
A

Alex White MCDBA MCSE

The simple rule I use in your case is this,

the database structure has to be solid, when I review this type of move I
try to get the back-end to do most of the work, this does involve moving to
something like SQL, the reason for this is website have a completely
different structure to your standard access database and you want the
webpage to as 'light' as possible e.g.

Access database

start on form1, goto form2, go back to form1, goto form3, go back to form1 a
forward/backward flow to the program, compared to web easy to understand

website

start on page1, go FORWARD page2, go FORWARD to page1, go FORWARD to page3,
go FORWARD to page1

you never go back in websites, so lots of games have to played moving data
forward into the next page, either query strings, server variables.

Then you don't have the same level of control on each page without
postback's to the server on the page, slowing everything down, my advice to
you is this get one small section of your database front-end and try and
model it as a mini website, I can recommend ASP.NET v2 (still in beta, but
an excellent product, express versions are FREE).

http://lab.msdn.microsoft.com/express/vwd/default.aspx

I have modelled quite a few databases over to web interfaces and the move to
SQL allows me to throw a lot of my program logic in the database layer,
something Access mdb's cannot do.

just my thoughts I am sure you will get differing thoughts.
 
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