Best practice when using WAN connected database (1 Viewer)

[Skater]

Hello all-
I am running a split database with sqlserver as the back end. Most of the work is viewing images of work completed in the field and I am stuck reviewing them. Right now I query the server to pull all required data and place it in a temporary table on the front end. This includes the image ole. This leads to a somewhat long load time as all the images are loaded into the temporary table.
My question is, would I be better off loading all the information less the images and pull the from the database only when the record is selected?
Let me know what you think.

Thanks for the help

Stay positive, test negative

 

[Ranman256]

I would not store images in tables. instead, store them in a server folder.
Do store the PATH to the image in the table: \\server\folder\project1\bob.jpg

the query is fast since theres no image data.
the frontend loads directly from the path.

 

[The_Doc_Man]

Another factor to consider: If that is a WAN that includes ANY WiFi at all, you need to consider the possibility of using something like a SHELL command to test whether you have a command-line version of FTP available to pick up those image files. Don't EVER try to embed them in the DB because, as you suggested, you get a long load time due to DB size. By trying to control the size of your incremental operations, only loading the minimum required data at one gulp, you also minimize the window of opportunity for connection drops, which Access really doesn't like.

 

[Pat Hartman]

There are no best practices for using Access over a WAN. Just don't do it. If you have to use Access remotely, the best options are Citrix and Remote Desktop. VPN is painfully slow.

 

[jdraw]

Here is a link to an older article by Albert Kallal re MS Access on WAN