mde vs. mdb files etc. problem

[DUX]

Hello there,
I have a question for you experts. I am working with an intranet and would like to be able to have a link go directly to a database.

When I have the link set to go to the file jackpot.mdb, clicking on it gives me an option to "save this file to disk"...if i click on this, it saves the file to the location of my choice and allows me to open it.

If I connect to the .mde version of this file, jackpot.mde, I am given the option to either "Save this file to disk" or "Open this file from its current location." I can then either save it to my system to open it or just open it from its current location.

This leads us to my problem, I need to be able to have it go directly into the database. I want it to automatically just open it from its current location without asking how the user would like it opened. Is this at all possible? Please advise whether this is something I can continue to pursue or if it is impossible.

Thanks,
Dux

 

[Kevin_S]

Hi DUX,

You are going to want/have to use Data Access Pages (DAP) to get to your db. This way you can use the link on the Intranet page to goto another web page that has your DAP forms. Try searching on Data Access Pages for more info.

This is the way we use some db's on my department's Intranet and, although the functionality is somewhat limited, they work quite well.

Another possible alternative would be to use Active Server Pages get to the data ( + more functionality , - more knowledge required to put together)

HTH,
Kev

 

[DUX]

Thanks,

We are using ASP for our intranet, but the thing is, the department that created this database has created a front end for it and they would like to use that to run their queries etc.. I guess what we are doing, is linking to the front end and the front end is grabbing the data from the database. Does that make any sense to you? So what we need, is to be able to link to this front end .mde/.mdb file directly....I hope I didn't confuse things even more.

Thanks,
Dux

 

[Kevin_S]

Is it imperative that you use the Intranet for this application? If it isn't what about just setting the db up in a client/server configuration and have the front-end of the application reside on the user's desktop? This way you can still use the front end that was created and just link to the tables on the server. This seems it would be a viable alternative if you want to use the front end... if not I would go with either ASP or DAP's.

Other than ASP / DAP I don't know of a way to use a user created mdb/mde file as an interface on a webpage (unless it was potentially create in VB or some other language - I have never seen an istance where an Access Front-End was able to do this.)

Perhaps other members on this board know of a solution to do this but I don't think it is possible.

HTH,
Kev