Microsoft access Web Access/ Publish

[export]

Hi All,

I have commissioned building a MS Access database for customer records and installations carried out. Is there a software interface whereby we can access the database from the web and smartphones? (excluding MS Sharepoint)

If not do you recommend online database builders such as Zoho Create? Are there any others apart from ZOHO?

Thanks

 

[Pat Hartman]

You start by saying you are commissioned to build an Access database and then you proceed to tell us that you cannot use Access. You need to clarify what exactly your client needs.

Access is a Rapid Application Development (RAD) environment. It is used to build client/server applications and with A2013, web applications that run under SharePoint. Jet/ACE are the desktop database engines used natively by Access. Access can also link to any data source that supports ODBC connections so Access is also frequently used as a FE to Oracle, SQL Server, DB2, etc. "Access" is a separate product from Jet and ACE. Except for the fact that "Access" uses Jet or ACE (depending on the Access version) to store its internal objects, "Access" is not welded to Jet/ACE. If you were to use C++ to create a client/server application that used a Jet/ACE database, you would not even need Access to be installed because you are not using Access. You are only using the database engine - Jet/ACE. You use "Access" when you build forms/reports/etc. using the MS Access GUI.

Jet/ACE are DESKTOP database engines. They are FILE servers rather than true database engines and although they can be used as the BE for a web application, I wouldn't recommend it. They will support only a small number of concurrent users and will not perform as well in the "cloud" as SQL Server will.

If you are not using Access to build the FE, you are not using Access!!!!! You are using Jet (.mdb) or ACE (.accdb) which are separate products.

You need to clarify exactly what the remote connection needs are. Is this a "want" because someone thinks the web is cool and client/server is passe? If outsiders will be accessing your web page, Access and Jet/ACE are certainly the wrong tools. If the app is inward facing where everyone will be on the same LAN or can use Citrix to get into the LAN, then in reality, they will probably be happer with a client/server app.

If your client doesn't want to incur the upfront cost of creating his own Sharepoint site, you can host one in the cloud. You'll need a small business Office 365 account to create the A2013 web app. That runs around $16 per month. Please verify because you will need to know if you have space limits and remote connection limits. Then individual users should be able to get by with the basic $6 per month plan. You might have some number of free connections but I'm not sure they can work with your Access database. The whole setup is pretty fuzzy and I haven't seen a site where it is clearly defined.

If you go the Cloud route, your "Access" database will be using SQL Server Azure as its BE rather than Jet/ACE or Sharepoint Lists. As far as I know, web pages are not resized for small devices. If you want them to be usable on small devices, you will need to create forms specifically for that purpose.

There are a couple of other downers regarding A2013 web apps -
1. NO VBA. You are stuck with macros.
2. Macros can't do everything so make absolutely certain that they have the functionality you need before you begin.
3. There are no reports in the Access sense. They are only long web pages with no page breaks.
4. There is no charting or pivot tables, etc.
5. There is no integration with Outlook, Excel, or Word so make sure you won't ever need to import/export/ or email.
6. Form design is pretty rigid and you have no artistic options.

 

[export]

Hi

I might not have been clear above, but I am the one that commissioned the database, basically someone is building a database for me.

So to have remote access I either need to save it in dropbox or google drive and access it from a laptop or use a software which puts access on the web (do not want to use sharepoint at all) - we use android and iphone and gmail, for mobile access and do not want to get into another os .

Otherwise also considering Zoho.com creator and other CRM systems, but not sure if we should go this way. Software which is specific to our industry is out of our budget and usually cannot have remote access or you have to pay more. . ( I mainly need to keep track of customer product installs at their premises - physical products, when a service is due, when the service is done etc).

So any ideas?

 

[spikepl]

I mainly need to keep track of customer product installs at their premises - physical products, when a service is due, when the service is done etc).

Be much more specific in terms of needs. Who needs to create, read, update, delete which data and when? Backend on dropbox/gdrive is not "shared" - everyone works on own copy and the latest one "wins" and overwrites all predecessors - do not confuse that with shared access to a db. What makes sense depends on the direction and timing of the data flow.

"software interface"? make a website runnig on your db, and you can access it via any browser (and then mySql is probably better as db) and hardware. If you insist on Access, then you can access Access centrally using Terminal Server or things like LogMeIn or Teamviewer.

 

[export]

There will only be one user at a time logged in. (it will be mainly me ) and other users will have read only .

The database will be used for customer product installations, for example sound systems and all the parts that where installed.

Team viewer is out because it will not be hosted on a PC but dropbox so as to be able to access it remotely. (and so no need to leave a PC ON all the time)

 

[spikepl]

Hmmm . with one user at a time it might work, but if others try to read data? IF the modify-date of the read-only access file changes, then that would overwrite any additions.

You may want to experiment a bit - that shouldt take long - or wait for someone who has had a similar setup (I believe RainLover mentioned something like this., though without more than one person accessing at the same time)

The database will be used for customer product installations, for example sound systems and all the parts that where installed.

this tells sweet FA what data goes into/out of the db

 

[jdraw]

If you are commissioning the creation of a database, then you should have more clearly specified requirements. As others have said, more details are needed.
Pat has given you a lot of good info to review.

Good luck.

 

[export]

Thanks to all for your help

 

[Pat Hartman]

So to have remote access I either need to save it in dropbox or google drive and access it from a laptop or use a software which puts access on the web (do not want to use sharepoint at all) - we use android and iphone and gmail, for mobile access and do not want to get into another os .

Access databases cannot be shared using options like dropbox or google drive since multiple people CANNOT have them open at the same time. Documents and Spreadsheets are NOT the same as databases. If two people happen to open the database at the same time, you will end up with two databases. One updated by one person and the other updated by a different person.

When an application runs in the browser, it is independent of OS. That's the whole point. As I said, you can host your sharepoint (runs in the browser) at MS or some other cloud provider. You don't need to install it and manage it yourself. Please don't think that I am pushing SharePoint. I am really not a fan. BUT - you keep saying you want an Access application but you don't want to work in a Windows environment. Access only runs under windows. There is no version that runs on Android or the Apple OS. But you can create a stripped down application with limited functionality by using SharePoint.

Since you are commissioning the database, why are you specifying Access in one sentence and then in the next saying you insist on sticking with Android or Apple. You should probably be looking at Alpha 5 (may run on Apple OS) or FileMakerPro (does run on Apple OS).

 

[CJ_London]

@Export, not sure if you got your solution, but you could try using TeamViewer or ScreenConnect to provide remote access - they are a bit like terminal server. There are one time licencing costs involved - you'll need to investigate which type suits you best but they are simpler (and generally less expensive) than terminal server licencing.

I'm just experimenting with iphone5 connecting to a winXP/Office 2010 Access system through these systems. So far everything works well with three provisos.

1. forms need to be designed to work on a small screen, basically avoiding the user needing to scroll horizontally or needing to zoom.

2. better to minimise the need for user inputs

3. the touchscreen tap event on the user device is not picked up by Access (or WinXP), the user needs to drag the mouse to the button/control etc then tap to initiate the click/mousedown events. No different to using a mouse, but a different to the way touchscreen works.

Please feel free to contact me if you would like a more detailed discussion.

 

[Pat Hartman]

CJ, would you be interested in doing a demo of your use of an iphone to connect to an Access app for the CT Access users' group? We've been publishing our meetings using GTM. Tomorrow - Tues, Nov 13th, we have Crystal Long who will be speaking to us from Colorado via GTM and demoing an app that does screen scraping and I'll be spending a half hour with a sample that uses ole to populate bookmarks in Word.

Meeting starts at 6:30 EDT - first 25 will get in. Come if you can.

CTAUG-SecondWednesday

1. Please join my meeting.
https://global.gotomeeting.com/meeting/join/878628578

2. Use your microphone and speakers (VoIP) - a headset is recommended. Or, call in using your telephone.





United States: +1 (213) 493-0603

Access Code: 878-628-578
Audio PIN: Shown after joining the meeting

Meeting ID:878-628-578

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[CJ_London]

Hi Pat, I'll try - is that 6:30 am or pm EDT?

 

[Pat Hartman]

PM - programmers don't do morning

 

[Pat Hartman]

Thanks to those of you who joined us last night. If you'd like the example I demonstrated and to be included in future emails, please join the CTAUG group on Yahoo groups.