What is best way to collect data from a web site?

[baxwink]

I have a web site that I manage and want to set up some type database or spreadsheet that employees can access via a password and input inventory totals for their individual locations into a master database or spreadsheet. Please suggest the best way to do this. thanks.

 

[rjs]

You could create an ODBC connection to the database or spreadsheet then use ASP to code a form which allows data entry. Since both ODBC and ASP are on your IIS server, it won't cost anything but time and a learning curve.

 

[baxwink]

Thanks for the tip but could you give me a little insight on the way to do this via ODBC and how to build the forms? Thanks

 

[ccicg]

you would want to use php, asp or perl to do this. you would also probably want a decent database system. mysql is good, free and easy to install and use, and you do not have to create an odbc connection for your database. lets get some info about your server and the access privelages you have.

-what web server are you running?
-do you have any database software installed or a database server you can use?
-are you familiar with php or asp?
-do you have root access to the web server or do you have admin rights?
-how much info do you want to collect?

 

[baxwink]

Thanks. The answers are as follows.
1) Microsoft Internet Information Server, I am running MS Frontpage for my web
2) I can put MS Access on the server, I have it available
3) I am not familiar with php or asp though I have done a little with Visual Basic and have done some programming with VBA
4) Yes I am the administrator for all our servers and have complete control of them
5)Basically I need to collect office inventory data (insurance records)ie: a web form that office managers can pull up and input all inventory in their office to include (a)item, (b)quantity, (c) serial #'s, (d)model #'s, (e)item cost, (f)date of inventory etc.. I have approximately 200 offices to collect data from. Many Thanks for any help.

 

[NOnoy]

This seems to be a big task if you have not had experiences in pHp or asp or so forth ( I have not had too much experience either so I know where you are coming from). I am starting to learn asp now but maybe in your case it would be a better idea to get a pre-package form? I am not sure. just suggesting.

Here's an idea.
Set up a Front Page form on a webpage and secure that location using NT authentication. You would have to set up permissions on the webpage instead of anonymous access to that web page. Front Page if powerful if you want to make it quick and easy. You would need to link it to a database still and that is what is going to cause you some time.

Let us know how it works.

- NOnoy