My company is headed in the direction of using ie for everything. My question is what does a Access and Visual FoxPro guy learn to move to SQL200 DB (I think I con figure it out) and a web front? Do I need a book on HTML,XML,XHTML,ASP or what? I am not familiar with the tools. I need forms that users input data into my SQL Server with. I will also be doing some reporting. We have Crystal for that I believe. Advice would be greatly appreciated.
Tek-Tips is the largest IT community on the Internet today!
Members share and learn making Tek-Tips Forums the best source of peer-reviewed technical information on the Internet!
-
Congratulations biv343 on being selected by the Tek-Tips community for having the most helpful posts in the forums last week. Way to Go!
What language should I use?
- Thread starter DaveMac
- Start date
JohnYingling
Programmer
If there is no code yet then they will probably go with APS.NET (VB.Net code in Active Server Pages). Forms/Controls Resizing/Tabbing Control
Compare Code (Text)
Generate Sort Class in VB or VBScript
Compare Code (Text)
Generate Sort Class in VB or VBScript
HTML is a very small language, I would not waste the money buying a book on it. There are a lot of tutorials and references available for ffree on the web.
XML shouldn't be necessary at this step in the game, but briefly all xml is is a way to store data. Instead of using csv files and knowing exactly which row and column each piece of data is supposed to be, you use tag delimiters to make your data file easier to understand. Since nearly every language has an xml parser you would also not need to worry about writing that portion by hand.
XHTML is merely well structured HTML. Basically you can get away with some stuff in HTML that you shouldn't be able to, like using a %lt;br> tag by itself at the end of the line for a break. In XHTML all tags must be in pairs of start and end tags, all atributes in tags (like the src attribute for images) must have quotes around the value, all tags inside tags must be at the same layer:
ASP is basically VBScript. For this you may want to buy a book. There are a lot of online references, but if you are just starting a book will help by providing you with exercises in in a more ordered format so you can pick the language up one step at a time. In this case I would use the web as a backup reference.
ASP.Net is the newest generation, the language is a full language rather than just a ascripting language. It is a crossbreed of Java and VB that uses servr generated javascript in the pages to keep data alive from page to page, whereas in standard server-side web programming your variables are only useable during a single run and then are released again.
-Tarwn --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
For my next trick I will pull a hat out of a rabbit (if you think thats bad you should see how the pigeon feels...)
XML shouldn't be necessary at this step in the game, but briefly all xml is is a way to store data. Instead of using csv files and knowing exactly which row and column each piece of data is supposed to be, you use tag delimiters to make your data file easier to understand. Since nearly every language has an xml parser you would also not need to worry about writing that portion by hand.
XHTML is merely well structured HTML. Basically you can get away with some stuff in HTML that you shouldn't be able to, like using a %lt;br> tag by itself at the end of the line for a break. In XHTML all tags must be in pairs of start and end tags, all atributes in tags (like the src attribute for images) must have quotes around the value, all tags inside tags must be at the same layer:
Code:
Incorrect layering:
<html>
<body>
<b>This is bold text <i> this is bold and italic</b></i>
</body>
</html>
Correct Layering:
<html>
<body>
<b>This is bold text <i> this is bold and italic</i></b>
</body>
</html>ASP is basically VBScript. For this you may want to buy a book. There are a lot of online references, but if you are just starting a book will help by providing you with exercises in in a more ordered format so you can pick the language up one step at a time. In this case I would use the web as a backup reference.
ASP.Net is the newest generation, the language is a full language rather than just a ascripting language. It is a crossbreed of Java and VB that uses servr generated javascript in the pages to keep data alive from page to page, whereas in standard server-side web programming your variables are only useable during a single run and then are released again.
-Tarwn --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
For my next trick I will pull a hat out of a rabbit (if you think thats bad you should see how the pigeon feels...)
- Thread starter
- #4
Thanks for the info:
I have VB 6.0. I don’t use it but what would be the difference. That would be great since I am familiar with VBA. It looks like 6.0 has tools for an ie front to a sql db???????? It looks like your saying that the .net that I thought just ment .money for a new product really is different than 6.0. Would I be able to create a web site with VB 6.0 or access 2002? I know that if I have to ask it doesn’t look like I will just having the right tools for the job is half the work. When I asked my IT guys what tools do they use they said notepad so I figure they are just knowledgeable enough to write HTML there. I get the feeling I am going to have to get a SQl database and the ie forms (whatever they are written in) out using what I have.
Thanks
I have VB 6.0. I don’t use it but what would be the difference. That would be great since I am familiar with VBA. It looks like 6.0 has tools for an ie front to a sql db???????? It looks like your saying that the .net that I thought just ment .money for a new product really is different than 6.0. Would I be able to create a web site with VB 6.0 or access 2002? I know that if I have to ask it doesn’t look like I will just having the right tools for the job is half the work. When I asked my IT guys what tools do they use they said notepad so I figure they are just knowledgeable enough to write HTML there. I get the feeling I am going to have to get a SQl database and the ie forms (whatever they are written in) out using what I have.
Thanks
- Thread starter
- #5
This is a manufacturing environment. The PLC’s that control the machines log data (SQL Server 2000) about operations. I need a web front to display some of that data. I have also been given Crystal Reports 8.0 and Crystal WEB. I have access2002, Visual Fox Pro 7.0, Front Page 98, SQL Server 2000, and the above mentioned.
Recommendations?
Recommendations?
Dave
You're gonna want to study
VB6 (will give you a boost into VB scripts)
VBS (and Active Server Pages)
ADODB (ties all VB to SQL, Access, + whatever Database)
Structured Query Language (not just MS-SQL, learn the basics, many SQL tutorials on the web)
HTML (minimum)
and for a page editor, I use just plain ol notepad.
(Microsoft ain't goin away...upgrade to .NET when you need it)
John
try these...
You're gonna want to study
VB6 (will give you a boost into VB scripts)
VBS (and Active Server Pages)
ADODB (ties all VB to SQL, Access, + whatever Database)
Structured Query Language (not just MS-SQL, learn the basics, many SQL tutorials on the web)
HTML (minimum)
and for a page editor, I use just plain ol notepad.
(Microsoft ain't goin away...upgrade to .NET when you need it)
John
try these...
Sounds like your using a Mole system for your data.
The vbscript used in ASP is a subset of the VB6 language. All of your forms and graphical components will be in html rather than the components you are used to in VB.
The form and graphical components are rather simple compared to the large number you have at your disposal with VB6, so it isn't as complicated as trying to build a VB6 application straight from notepad (which is interesting the first time you do it :b).
The other problem with .Net is that most of the industrial companies will not switch to it yet. Most are sticking with VB6 for now. I have heard estimates for a few of the larger companies that are measured in years, basically because of the danger of using a new product for some of these systems.
I suggest you study the topics you sugeested, starting with HTML. I'll warn you ahead of time about frontpage, though. I have not seen the most recent versions, but I have seen some of the older versions. Frontpage will allow you to graphically builds your web page and then view the HTML code. The problem is that it goes a little over the top, using more HTML than might be necessary. Trying to go back and add ASP script to a frontpage document is(was) much more difficult than building the HTML by hand.
If you have any other questions down the road, feel free to ask, I have a little experience with Mole systems as well as the manufacturing environment. And since you are using either Mole or another system with a SQL Server backend, most of the questions you might have can be answered by people that have never been in that environment (unlike if you were using OSI PI or somesuch).
-Tarwn
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
For my next trick I will pull a hat out of a rabbit (if you think thats bad you should see how the pigeon feels...)
The vbscript used in ASP is a subset of the VB6 language. All of your forms and graphical components will be in html rather than the components you are used to in VB.
The form and graphical components are rather simple compared to the large number you have at your disposal with VB6, so it isn't as complicated as trying to build a VB6 application straight from notepad (which is interesting the first time you do it :b).
The other problem with .Net is that most of the industrial companies will not switch to it yet. Most are sticking with VB6 for now. I have heard estimates for a few of the larger companies that are measured in years, basically because of the danger of using a new product for some of these systems.
I suggest you study the topics you sugeested, starting with HTML. I'll warn you ahead of time about frontpage, though. I have not seen the most recent versions, but I have seen some of the older versions. Frontpage will allow you to graphically builds your web page and then view the HTML code. The problem is that it goes a little over the top, using more HTML than might be necessary. Trying to go back and add ASP script to a frontpage document is(was) much more difficult than building the HTML by hand.
If you have any other questions down the road, feel free to ask, I have a little experience with Mole systems as well as the manufacturing environment. And since you are using either Mole or another system with a SQL Server backend, most of the questions you might have can be answered by people that have never been in that environment (unlike if you were using OSI PI or somesuch).
-Tarwn
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
For my next trick I will pull a hat out of a rabbit (if you think thats bad you should see how the pigeon feels...)
- Status
Similar threads
- Locked
- Question
- Locked
- Question
- Locked
- Question