Query B-4 Committing to MySQL

[cottontop]

Hi All,

Currently, I'm operating a single workstation with MS Access 2000. Downloading text reports from a server and sending the results of queries through email in XLS format.

There's got to be a better way!

I read several comments all over the Internet that you don't want to setup a network of users under MS Access, so here's my question(s)! This may not be the proper format, be kind... I'm learning!

My workstation: CPU P4 2.4ghz, 512mb RAM, Drive 0 = 40gb, Drive 1 = 160GB (split 79GB/80GB) I will be using the 40GB for normal duties (MS Word, Outlook, Powerpoint, Excel, etc.)

1. Is this the wrong setup?:
I would like to install a large hard drive (160GB) (they're cheap!) in my workstation to set up 1/2 to be a shared drive available to select individuals (30 -100, by their network login names) in our network and 1/2 to be private for me to store.
Install MySQL on the private 1/2 and publish (correct wording?) databases on the shared side for others to use to get their reports.
Scheduled the text reports to be deposited on the private side (ftp,) used by the databases on the shared side.

2. Would I be setting up ASP pages (or something simular?) Or will I be setting up actual databases for users to open and use... or both?

4. Can I offer drill down of data to the users. Such like a sales report of states. User clicks on the state and the stores in the state appears with their figures. Click on a store and the salesids of that store appear. Click on the salesid and individual sales data appears, etc. Would this be possible with my setup, or would I have to do something else? Can MySQL do this?

5. Is there a steep learning curve to MySQL. Especially when attempting to setup the scenario mentioned above?

Am I missing something? Should I forget it?

I appreciate any insight!

Thanks,

 

[Bastien]

Intranet sounds like a perfect solution. Use ASP or PHP, its up to you...One thing you may want to look at is setting up PHPTriad or EasyPHP (PHP mySQL, Apache, phpMyAdmin) and setting up the intranet hosted on your machine.

2. Multiple DBs will lead to concurrency problems if the users start changing the data.

3. PHP or ASP can offer browser based input forms for the user to make their own queries

5. Well, it more DB than Access. Depends on how far you want to go as an administrator for the DB.

Bastien

Any one have a techie job in Toronto, I need to work...being laid off sucks!

 

[cottontop]

Thanks Batien!

Can you give me an idea of the time necessary to set this up and get it going?

Also, are all apps in the "triad" GNU?

 

[Bastien]

If you're on windows it takes about 10 minutes to DL and install Triad...

The part that will take the most time is the custom scripting (if you need to learn php, if ASP I think you know it already from the post) ASP will require the MyODBC download from mySql.com to use ASP ODBC to access mySQL. Consider hiring someone to do the basics on the site if you need to...from the sounds of it, may take a week or two to code the web pages, but it will depend on the requirements

Note that ASP cannot be used well with apache, you would need to get chilisoft to make it work...consider another webserver like IIS or don't use ASP and go PHP...



Bastien

Any one have a techie job in Toronto, I need to work...being laid off sucks!