Visual basic front app for access? 4

[TheunsGoosen]

Access beginner,

Hi,
I would like to develop a simple stock program for a small company, with fair amount of access experience I find that the size of the file grows significantly with every form/subform I add. I would like to buy the book, Visual basic.net 2003, and the software visual basic.net standard 2003. To design the front app. Is my thinking right that I will have more flexibility in designing the forms, smaller in size and quicker reaction time? Will I be able to link the stand alone program effortlessly to the access database?

Thanks
Theuns

 

[ZmrAbdulla]

It is easy..
The best part of the Access I lost in VB.NET is the reports. You can't get unless otherwise you use some third party reporting tool.
Where the Size of DB comes. Makes no difference if you use Access as back end. You will have to go for SQL Server or some other of that type.

________________________________________________________
Zameer Abdulla
Help to find Missing people

 

[ZOR]

I went away from VB when VBNet came in, could not spend lost time learning the new syntax. However before you go splashing out lots of money, if you want to produce .exe programs, I don't think you can unless you buy the developers version!!! Try putting your questions out on the VB.Net forum. Regards

 

[JoeAtWork]

First of all, if you are going to go the .NET route you might as well go with 2005 (.NET 2.0) rather than old 2003 (.NET 1.1).

Visual Studio 2008 (.NET 3.0 - 3.5) is already in beta!

I find that the size of the file grows significantly with every form/subform I add

I doubt that has much to do with your forms. What is an example of "grows significantly"?
If you have not split your database into a front-end/back-end, that is the first thing to do. You will then see if it is code or data that is causing the growth.

Is my thinking right that I will have more flexibility in designing the forms, smaller in size and quicker reaction time?

Arguably, yes, sort of. ADO.NET (the data component of .NET) uses a disconnected model. Basically, you load the data from the database, disconnect, do whatever manipulation you need to, reconnect to the database and push your updates back into the database.
I find this more flexible because there is not the strong coupling between the UI and the underlying database that you find in Access (if you use the typical bound forms). In fact, during the disconnected phase the actual database system you are using is practically beside the point.

But the flexibility comes at the price of the learning curve required to master ADO.NET. The concepts can be quite different than what you may be used to with Access.

Will I be able to link the stand alone program effortlessly to the access database?

There are all sorts of wizards to make the connections. I couldn't tell you much about that since I usually shun wizard-written code.

ZmrAbdulla - what about Crystal Reports that ships with Visual Studio 2005? Although maybe that isn't included in the standard version of VB.NET (I don't know).

 

[irishjoe]

Before you buy the software, download Visual Studio 2005 Express from the Microsoft site. Its free and will give you a good introduction to see if you want to continue with the project.

 

[ZmrAbdulla]

To Joe, Yes Crystal Reports included.. still it is third party. VS have its own reporting that is not flexible as access reports.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...ac-758d-45c8-b637-dd7726e61367&displaylang=en

and express editions comes here

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/express/aa975050.aspx

To ZOR,
With express edition you can produce exe files. Functionalities available with it is more than enough for an hobby programmer. I have programs distributed created with express edition.


________________________________________________________
Zameer Abdulla
Help to find Missing people

 

[ZOR]

Many thanks Zameer, good to hear from you again, trust your well. I will look at the Express links. Best regards.

 

[ZmrAbdulla]

________________________________________________________
Zameer Abdulla
Help to find Missing people