web-enabled Access db

[btj]

I recently posted a question on an Access Forum at Tek-Tips. So far, the response I have heard was that there was more value in learning ASP than in using the Access solution of Data Access Pages (DAPs).

I was wondering if anyone has faced a similar decision and what the outcome was?

Additionally (my naivety in ASP is probably apparent), I was wondering how easy (or difficult, depending upon perception) would it be to migrate my existing Access database to an Intranet (using Explorer as the default browsser) setting. My biggest concern would be significant back-end coding in VBA and how that would transition into a web setting.

Any and all advice would be welcome. I am stuck and would love feedback on my situation.

Thank you, in advance.

- Ben

 

[JimEkleberry]

Definitely use ASP over Access's DAPs.

I great book that will get you started and make a very handy reference during your coding is “Web Database Development : Step by Step” by Jim Buyens (ISBN 0-7356-0966-7). Available at Amazon.com for $34.99 (

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0735609667/qid=/104-8791297-0897516).

Highly recommended, especially for someone in your situation.

I hope that helps!

 

[btj]

Jim - Thanks for the advice. I just recently purchased "Access 2000 Developer's Handbook Set" and was reading up on DAPs. Although they look promising, it seems like such a new technology that it would not be worth the effort currently.

Thanks again!

 

[btj]

Jim - I just realized I had another question. When I used to do our company's web site, I used Macromedia Dreamweaver. I know that they have another edition out (Dreamweaver Ultradev) that assists in connection and creation of web pages that are fed from a database.

Do you have advice on whether this would be a wise purchase (I believe the upgrade price is low; approx. $150)? If not, do you use any software interface to assist in your creation of ASP pages?

Thanks.

 

[desktophero]

I have used InterDev, as well as UltraDev, and both are great apps (in my opinion).

A couple of URLs that I have found very useful are

http://www.devguru.com

and

http://www.sloppycode.com

The first thing you will need to look into (to connect to the access database) is

ADO (ActiveX Data Object)
SQL
Tables and forms

Also, when you set an ASP page to view/access Access databases, the INET_IUser account(check my spelling!) needs to have access to the system 'TMP' directory. You can find the directory through the 'system' control panel applet - typically it is %windir\temp (I think). If you don't set up access to the 'TMP' directory, then you will get ASP errors of 'permission denied'. This one has spun my wheels in the past.

 

[btj]

desktophero - Thanks for the review and advice. As a relatively naive question, if I am using DAOs within my database will they migrate to ASPs or should I work on reprogramming them now so I not surprised later?

Thanks again!

- Ben

 

[JimEkleberry]

The “Access 2000 Developer's Handbook Set" is good but I found that working with ASP wasn’t covered very well and left a lot of questions. The book I recommended walks you through using Access and ASP together; such is the reason for the recommendation.

Your choice of editor is entirely up to your “style” and how you like to do things. UltraDev is definitely awesome and will greatly assist you. InterDev is also good but I do not like the way it does some things. I know that you can demo UltraDev but I’m not sure about InterDev. Try them out and see what you like, if either.

Myself, I’m a hand-coder at heart for everything (HTML, ASP, PHP, etc). I use UltraEdit (a great text editor) for everything including C/C++ coding. At $30 it is by far the best investment I’ve ever made. I also have DreamWeaver and HomeSite. If I am really in a rush I use DreamWeaver for quick table layouts and such and then code in UltraEdit or sometimes I stay in DreamWeaver.

As I said, it really depends on how you like to do things. This is truly a personal choice.

The DAO's do not migrate easily and sometimes not at all to ASP. Definitely start with ASP from the get go. In addition to making your life much easier down the road, you won't start trying to learn and use 2 technologies (DAO and ASP) but can concentrate on just one (ASP). Your skills and productivity will improve much more quickly.