CD ROM based database/web interface?

[tsp1lrk]

I am looking to build an interactive searchable database for over 40,000 records, and display the records in a graphical format with details and photos. I know this DB size is too much for Access. I also would like it to be self contained on a CD-ROM. I was planning to use HTML as the interface and have a DB in the background. Can I do this on a CD without installing anything on the Client? And what would be the best method.

Thanks in advance!
Lisa

 

[dannywild82]

um... use HTML - dont bother with a quick fix. head in book all day breeds good results

 

[kaiana]

If you are going to all the trouble to create a HTML front end and have a db to store the accesible information. Why wouldnt you use SQL as a back end and ASP as the front end and Host a domain.

Give clients access via a Data grid and your own access through a Editible DataGrid

This makes for cheap Distribution

If you need information go to

http://www.asp.net

and look at the Web-matrix and MSDE for the SQL engine

If this helps or you need more information let me know

 

[tsp1lrk]

Thanks for the responses, but I don't know ASP, using SQL is a licensing issue and I have to have this database on a CD ROM-- no remote connections available. Some people say use XML for this-- but I'm not sure. Any more ideas? Thanks for your help!

Lisa

 

[Gatorajc]

How about MySQL? its free last I checked. I do not think you are going to be able to make this work just using HTML. You will need some kind of server side scripting involved. AJ
I would lose my head if it wasn't attached.

 

[skiflyer]

I don't think HTML and server side scripting is the best option if you want it all self contained on a CD.

I think you'll want to write an actual program/DB combo to do this... mySQL'd be great, but I dunno how it works standalone like that, worth looking into at any rate.

-Rob

 

[SemperFiDownUnda]

SQL server has no licensing issues if you use MSDE (a version of SQL Server "Tuned" to 5 connections)

But it does require MSDE to be installed on the machine...as does MYSQL.

With Access you can pretty much grant that JET is on the windows box and access it with little to no configuration on the client machine....just auto run CD. Though I don't think DHTML application could do it as it would be dependant on objects registered on the machine.

This is assuming you want a CD that will run on the users machine. If you want to run a Server side web application and have the database run off a CD you should get your head examined in many cases. The performance of CD's isn't great and even worse when you try to have multiple clients (this case multiple requests from a web server) accessing at the same time. to show an example try to play a multimedia CD's audio information (even as digitial playback) and access binary data on the CD at the same time. CD's are designed to read sequentially and take large hits on jumping around on the CD.