ms access alternative for web (1 Viewer)

[Ihk]

Hi,
I have access database desktop application with following functionalities.

• Multiuser login in system with more than 30 users, using it more than 2 years with no problem, though I am updating it time to time.
• User track record
• Data entry
• Complex queries, filtering record
• live search function
• In short to give you idea, It is application mix between school management system and inventory system. But not purely this.
• Separate front end and back end.

Now I want to develop this all at web level, I am thinking go for WordPress. Because I am good at WordPress, because there not much hassle of coding.
I am just beginner in html, php etc. Because I am not from computer field.

But I can learn basic things that’s not a problem, if really required.

I am looking for ideas and direction to move forward. So, I can focus on that way.
Because I dont think that my earlier access application can compatible to web / wordpress etc. ,
especially front end is important, because back end tables are not that much problem.
Thanks

 

[The_Doc_Man]

There are two ways to go with this. As you point out, if you have the means to do so, it should be possible to build web pages to match the functionality of the various components of Access.

However, which is more important to you? That you fully convert everything to the web, or that you simply make the app available for non-local users? Because there is a possible solution involving remote desktop access, where a remote user establishes a session to a machine that is able to run Access. RDP (remote desktop protocol) allows your remote user to see what Access would show them if they were local. Performance of this kind of solution is within at worst a few percent slower than a direct local connection. (The "few percent" DOES depend on the speed of the network path from end-user to server.) There is also a commercial product called CITRIX that is extremely good for this kind of work.

Your question didn't express to us what kind of resources you had available and what kind of budget, and I don't want to make assumptions.

Tell us your overall goals related to "going web" and what else you might need to do. Be aware if for most systems, "going web" means you cannot use native Access back-ends. There are very few cases where they integrate with web solutions. If the back-end is more like SQL Server or some other active SQL engine, however, Access integrates with that reasonably well.

 

[Pat Hartman]

What is the reason you want to convert the app? There is nothing inherently better about a web app than a client/server app. The major difference is whether you are tied to a LAN or can work remotely. Do you need to allow anonymous users to connect to the app as they do to a public website? If the user base is known and controllable, there are other options than a web app if you need to have the app work with remote users.

You can support large numbers of users (thousands) by simply converting the BE from Jet/ACE to SQL Server or some other RDBMS. Depending on your original development techniques, this can be trivial or require major reprogramming. For most people who don't develop with good client/server techniques just a straight conversion will often result in sluggish performance.

In addition to Terminal Services, you could use Citrix depending on what your client prefers. Either can be implemented without any change to the current app and the performance will be equal or better.

The other thing is development cost. It's at least 5-1 and that's if you are using another RAD tool. Access is a very efficient development environment. You can get huge amounts of functionality with very little code required.

 

[gemma-the-husky]

As I understand it you will probably need to reconsider your database design, with a web based application That pesky back button on a web browser, for instance, makes a database work very differently on a web browser compared with a PC. Maybe it's not that hard though.