Handling External Files

[DrLAG]

Hello

I'm thinking of creating a database for the receipt and issuing of drawing files. Each record would consist of several versions of the same drawing in different file formats, typically DWG, DWF, PDF & possibly ZIP aswell. The idea being you could search for a particular drawing and either just view it or issue it via email to someone else.

I've worked with a few online (html) databases before and they seem to work well, but was wondering if MS Access is also good at handling a databases using these sort of external files, rather than just storing the usual number/text.

Has anyone created anything like this before or have any thoughts on the subject?

Many thanks

Marc

 

[palmermon]

Marc,

ive done a fair amount of file handling with VB and VBA using the FileSystemObject. Youll need to add it into the references of the project. Its called something weird like Windows File Handling or something. It was standard after win 2000. Its also groovy what you can do with the "dir" command, and a tree path.

the FSO makes it easy to run directory listings/crawlings/moving and the like, and you can use a specific API call to open the drawing with the "ShellExecute" API call.

not so much an answer, more a few things to investigate with google (or planet-source-code). PS. I was working with quark, Tiff, Photoshop and EPS files, hence the experience with the FSO, and the ignorance of the Indexing Server. You can also do cool things with the extended properties of the files, which is what i was after.

It saves marrying up a database to a filesystem, which is always a recipe for disaster.

Marc

Palmermon - Always Thinking