Access db for customers; client uses forms/reports (on web server)?

[superslurpee]

Hi,

We have a client with an Access database with pre-made reports/forms located on her local computer. We are now putting the database onto a web server so customers can do selects/inserts/updates to data via web forms. However, our client still needs to use her pre-made forms/reports on that same database.

Is it possible that she could use her forms and reports on her local machine updating and obtaining data from the external, web-hosted database rather than from her current local version? If so, how is this accomplished? We need to keep only one database rather than exporting/importing data between two.

Does anyone have any ideas? Please, any help is appreciated!

 

[Blorf]

Your database on the web server can be linked directly by our client? If so, then can you not just link the tables with file, get external data, select your file and tables? If so, should work nicely, but run a little slower for her.

ChaZ

 

[superslurpee]

Thanks for your response ChaZ!

Let's see if I understand you correctly. We would have the 'main' database on the web server for the customers and a second version on our clients computer in her office (where it is now). Her version would use 'File>>get external data>>Link Tables' for the tables, essentially telling the tables to go get their data from the web server. That sounds pretty logical. When linking the tables, do we just enter the http location to the mdb file? How is that security wise if it's in a 'db' folder which properly prevents people from downloading the database?

As for speed, it's a non-issue. She doesn't have a large budget so I think she'll take whatever is possible!

Thanks again for the help!

 

[deekydoo]

Hi,

If the tables are large then accessing them as linked tables will be very slow on any standard phone line. I had the same problem and I had to use terminal services so that the remote user actually ran the MS Access software on the server via the 'remote' terminal. Then all that is transfered between the two computers are the key strokes and the screen updates.

Security is always an issue with access. I've had to put a VB6 front end on for some 'casual' users. A real pain.

Deek

 

[Blorf]

Yea, if the phone connection or internet connection is real slow, something like pc anywhere would be cool.

Alternatively, will she be adding data, or just reviewing it. Maybe a winzip copy once a day would also work if just reporting and what not.

ChaZ

 

[superslurpee]

Thanks!

She will indeed be adding data, not a lot, but the odd bit. Mainly she will be using the pre-made reports. If she didn't have the pre-made forms/reports, I would probably like to get the data out of access. Access seems great on a local machine for a small business or something, but not practical for serving web clients. The forms/reports are nice, but not really usable to the Internet world (where everything pretty much is now a days).

Thanks again for your help. I'll see if I can get these ideas working.

 

[superslurpee]

Hi again,

I just thought I'd post what I did in case someone is looking at possible solutions in the future.

Our client has her Access database with pre-made forms/reports on her machine. On our web server, we have a MySQL version of the db. On her machine, we installed MyODBC and created a system DSN. In access, we link to the MySQL tables on the web server by using the DSN. It works perfectly, and we don't have to use Access on the server (our hosting is php/mysql).

Thanks to the replies which helped get me thinking and find a working solution!