Software similar to Acces for software incloud

[pros68]

I must create an application on server (cloud) by an application that have some futures similar to access, In detail creation of table, form and query enought programmations. For report it must use Power BI. I tested Nubulilder but is not good how Access. Some friend advice me Caspio, but it is too much. Can you recommend some softwares that can solve this problem?.

 

[The_Doc_Man]

While there a few cloud sites that claim Access compatibility, they usually turn out to have a "gotcha" somewhere along the line. Access does not work for most cloud sites because those sites do not support the Server Message Block (SMB) protocol that is the Windows standard protocol for "File and Printer Sharing" operations. No SMB? No Access. The few places that seem to have some type of solution EITHER use a single-user with remote-mirror system, OR they use another protocol called Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP).

RDP allows you to have one single server that does the work and you log into to that server remotely using RDP. An RDP connection gives you a window that looks like an ordinary local session. You use "Real" Access on that server and what goes across the net is whatever would have been on the server's local screen if you were using it. The pitfalls here are that the good RDP solutions aren't cheap, and there are cost (licensing) implications for using Access in a shared environment on the server. There is a product called CITRIX that works well. Our member Pat Hartman is highly experience in using that and can tell you costs and licensing issues from her work experiences.

Straight "cloud" doesn't work. RDP works but costs money. What else is there? That third choice is a web-based solution via HTTP protocols and there, I cannot help you as I have no experience with making web solutions. Perhaps someone else on this forum would be able to help you in that general direction. But the tools would NOT be like Access and the type of programming involved would be very different.

 

[pros68]

While there a few cloud sites that claim Access compatibility, they usually turn out to have a "gotcha" somewhere along the line. Access does not work for most cloud sites because those sites do not support the Server Message Block (SMB) protocol that is the Windows standard protocol for "File and Printer Sharing" operations. No SMB? No Access. The few places that seem to have some type of solution EITHER use a single-user with remote-mirror system, OR they use another protocol called Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP).

RDP allows you to have one single server that does the work and you log into to that server remotely using RDP. An RDP connection gives you a window that looks like an ordinary local session. You use "Real" Access on that server and what goes across the net is whatever would have been on the server's local screen if you were using it. The pitfalls here are that the good RDP solutions aren't cheap, and there are cost (licensing) implications for using Access in a shared environment on the server. There is a product called CITRIX that works well. Our member Pat Hartman is highly experience in using that and can tell you costs and licensing issues from her work experiences.

Straight "cloud" doesn't work. RDP works but costs money. What else is there? That third choice is a web-based solution via HTTP protocols and there, I cannot help you as I have no experience with making web solutions. Perhaps someone else on this forum would be able to help you in that general direction. But the tools would NOT be like Access and the type of programming involved would be very different.

very, very thank you for the very thorough answer

 

[Pat Hartman]

Why does the application need to run in the cloud? Why does it need to be a web app? I'm not saying that it shouldn't be. I'm asking what makes the requirement? Are you intending to create a public application? One that anyone can log into? Will the users be limited to your organization? How many people are we talking about? What I'm getting to is could you use Access if you used Remote Desktop or Citrix to provide remote access to your group of users?

Also, you have a separate thread going asking how to do this with Access. Please don't waste our time if Access is not a possibility.

 

[GPGeorge]

Ditto The_Doc_Man and Pat.

That said, there is a way to create a hybrid application based on MS products.

The "desktop" component is the standard Access FE we all know and love.
The "cloud" component is a PowerApps application running in a browser or on a smart device (tablet or phone)
The "data" component can be any one of a number of options from SharePoint Lists to SQL Azure, and even the newest possibility, DataVerse.

Many will point out that PowerApps is a low-code development environment and can't touch the power and flexibility of Access. That's true, but there are situations in which you don't really need that "in the cloud". A simpler interface can meet the needs of many requirements. But that depends entirely on the answers to the questions Pat asked.

If Access truly is out of the picture, and you must have something "in the cloud" as vague as that is, then you're looking in the wrong direction for "Access like" replacements.

 

[pros68]

Why does the application need to run in the cloud? Why does it need to be a web app? I'm not saying that it shouldn't be. I'm asking what makes the requirement? Are you intending to create a public application? One that anyone can log into? Will the users be limited to your organization? How many people are we talking about? What I'm getting to is could you use Access if you used Remote Desktop or Citrix to provide remote access to your group of users?

Also, you have a separate thread going asking how to do this with Access. Please don't waste our time if Access is not a possibility.

the software must import periodically the data by software of company and it is necessary work using the software in smart working

 

[Cotswold]

If you need a web application and to continue with Basic, take a look at b4x.com
Anywhere Software supply the software that will run on Windows, Android, IOS, Arduino, Linux and Raspberry. It is based on VB and supports MySQL and SQLite.

It will do pretty much what Access will but obviously you'll need to transfer your Access knowledge into B4X. However, it is free apart from the IOS version. Which is as near to free as makes no difference.

 

[Pat Hartman]

the software must import periodically the data by software of company and it is necessary work using the software in smart working

Importing data isn't a requirement to be a web app and I don't know what "smart working" means.

Switching to a different platform is not trivial especially since you don't know any other tools. Looks like Cotswold found you a potential solution.

 

[GaryPanic]

My 2 pence worth -
we have just switched to Ctrix , and there has been no loss in functionality - speed has marginally slowed down (all MS products not just Access ) but the drop in speed is minimal - and only noticeable if your looking for it

 

[CJ_London]

Not sur what your definition of 'smart working' is but there is a another solution for working remotely. Access is a rapid application development tool and comes in two parts, the front end (FE) and the back end (BE). The FE has to run in windows but the BE does not have to be the JET/ACE db supplied with Access, it can be anything that can be connected to via ODBC which includes SQL Azure - a cloud based BE. So you can keep the rich environment provided by developing the FE in Access but still have it operational from any location that has an internet connection.

However as with RDP/Citrix, it comes at a cost. You need to consider that cost against the cost of starting from scratch by developing on a different platform. Certainly relevant if looking to migrate an existing application. And if for a new application, FE development time in Access takes probably only the 10th of the time it would take on a different platform. Although RDP does not work through a browser you can run it from any device that supports remote desktop which includes iOS, linux and some smartphones.

If you want integration with things like Powerapps, take a look at the new Dataverse Access Connector. Simplistically it synchronises an Access BE with one on the internet (An Azure hybrid) which Powerapps can then connect to and interact with. Again, not free but I believe there is a Teams version where it is included as part of the Teams license.

If you want to get a feel for what is involved in migrating to a different platform you might want to set up sql server express (or azure) and download Visual Studio with a view to creating a simple app - see how you get on. Just be aware that any browser based app needs to cater a) for all the different browsers and environments (such as smart phones, monitor size etc) and b) Those browsers are all under constant modification and improvement so your ongoing maintenance costs will be higher as features come and go.

 

[GPGeorge]

Perhaps Dataverse will eventually supplant SharePoint Lists in the PowerApps environment. Right now, that's an open question, IMO. SharePoint is quicker and easier to implement, and perhaps less expensive to operate. Read this LinkedIn post and responses. Disclaimer. I participated in that thread. Reading between the lines, I sense that MS is wondering why their new sliced bread isn't being gobbled up all over the place as people don't give up existing applications built on SharePoint lists.

Think of Dataverse as an alternative to other remotely hosted data storage locations: SQL Server, SQL Azure, MySQL, Postgres, Oracle, and so on. It is in that same realm. It does not "synch" with an Access BE in the sense that there would be no separate ACE database. Only Dataverse tables. You would migrate your data into Dataverse "tables" and relink the Access FE to them, just as you would any of the other data storage locations just mentioned.

Actually, I think obscuring that fact is one of the disservices MS and others have done in trying to sell Dataverse to Access developers. I am thinking of one popular YouTube video in particular which implies that.

Otherwise, I 100% concur with the ideas expressed.

 

[Steve R.]

Ditto The_Doc_Man and Pat.

That said, there is a way to create a hybrid application based on MS products.

The "desktop" component is the standard Access FE we all know and love.
The "cloud" component is a PowerApps application running in a browser or on a smart device (tablet or phone)
The "data" component can be any one of a number of options from SharePoint Lists to SQL Azure, and even the newest possibility, DataVerse.

Many will point out that PowerApps is a low-code development environment and can't touch the power and flexibility of Access. That's true, but there are situations in which you don't really need that "in the cloud". A simpler interface can meet the needs of many requirements. But that depends entirely on the answers to the questions Pat asked.

If Access truly is out of the picture, and you must have something "in the cloud" as vague as that is, then you're looking in the wrong direction for "Access like" replacements.

I'm also a "ditto". You are apparantly making this more complex than it has to be, but then I don't know what your full objective is. As a very basic solution, you just need a server located on your local LAN (assuming that you don't wan't a full internet solution), a database (MariaDB), PHP, HTML, CSS, and a browser.