Connecting to MySQL Web Server

[perrymans]

I have an Access database created for a non-profit. They would like to have this database be shared among all of their chapters, and the web hosting site seems to be the best option. My options seem to be either develop pages in PHP and upload, or use Access to connect to the MySQL database hosted on the web server.

Can an Access database be connected to an MySQL database online? I imagine it can, and it shouldn't really be much different than connecting via an intranet right?

Any insights or tutorials on this are greatly appreciated.

As a footnote, I am staying away from PHP right now because of lack of knowledge, but I posted another thread asking for easy to use PHP development platforms.

Thanks. Sean.

 

[Zych]

I think this would depend on where you want to host it. I have one of my sites hosted on registerfly.com They offer database tools through the cpanel front end. Through the DB Webadmin tool I can create tables, etc. You can also upload text files or CSV files. So I use Access to create what I want here and then export it to a csv file and upload it. Works well. I can then use PHP to manipulate it.

 

[perrymans]

I just want to avoid the PHP aspect and have the users connecting directly to the MySQL database using Access.

I am trying to set up something similar right now, but I can't get Access to give me .csv files.

Sean.

 

[josel]

perrymans,

As far as an easy tool to develop PHP code, try Dreamweaver MX 2004 or current version. I am also headed into developing in PHP using MySQL and I have chosen DWMX because of its easy-to-use interface.

Good luck!


Jose Lerebours


KNOWLEDGE: Something you can give away endlessly and gain more of it in the process! - Jose Lerebours

 

[Zych]

You can use Access if you want. Just download the ODBC connectors and install them on the workstations. You can them use Access to connect to MySQL. You would then need to install MySQL on a system in there business where everybody has access to it. In this case no Web Server is needed. Another option would be to install the MySQL Query Browser which is available on the MySQL site. And again you would need to install MySQL on a system they can access.

Your best option would of course be PHP with the web. This way you can set up the web page to log people in to grant access and then wherever people are they have access to it.

- Zych

 

[lgarner]

Connecting to MySQL via ODBC works fine. As I recall, there is a quirk in editing records which is fixed by having a timestamp field as part of a key. I don't remember the specifics.

If you're talking about a hosted site, make sure that they allow connections to MySQL. I doubt that very many hosters do unless it's a dedicated server (at least).

 

[perrymans]

I have setup a MySQL machine at home using apache2triad, and am now trying to connect to it with myODBC on another WinXP machine.

I keep getting "Can't connect to mySQL server on ..."

I don't have a host name, it is just internal to my house network using my broadband router to connect the PC's.

I can type the IP address into the address bar and have the apache index page load, but I can't connect to mySQL on the same machine.

I thought Zone Alarm might have been blocking it, but I started it and it isn't asking me if I want to allow any traffic or programs.

Any ideas?

Thanks. Sean.

 

[Zych]

Have you created users for the machine? I would download MySQL Administrator and install it on the machine that has MySQL loaded on it. Is it one a Linux box or Windows? If it is on Windows make sure that the service is running if you have set it up as a service. By using MySQL Administrator you can add users and see connections. Logon to the MySQL Administrator using root and the password you gave it.

- Zych

 

[perrymans]

my.ini file has a line:

bin-address = 127.0.0.1

I first changed it to the machines IP and it worked. Then I commented it out altogether so the server is bound to a specific IP and it works now.

I was using telnet to test from another machine which was very handy (telnet> open MYIPADDR 3306)

Thanks for the help all !

Sean.

 

[perrymans]

excuse me, I mean bind-address