Thoughts on VB.Net front end

[chad101]

I have a wonderful database I designed almost 2 years ago. Other than a few hiccups with corrupted data, my employer is 100% satisfied with it.

I’m graduating this winter with an AS in computer programming and I would like to update the database to a VB/ADO .NET (VS 2003) front end before I leave. Being a VB developer, I have had my fair share of “quick fixes” when I could not work out a solution with VBA. VBA is the evil twin of VB lol.

Other than PHP w/ MySQL I have never used two separate entities for data management. It’s always been strictly MS Access as the database and front end.

So my question is what major differences should I expect that I took for granted with MS Access’s built in functionality? Such as subforms with master/child properties, navigation, printing reports etc. Will I have to write code for every little detail that MS Access handled for me?

What are your thoughts on using VB.NET as a front end? Did the pros out weigh any cons from your experience with this setup? Any thoughts on using Crystal Reports?

 

[Pat Hartman]

If the Access front end works well for your client, what is the purpose in rewriting it? Already you're looking down your nose at Access and you haven't even graduated yet.

If the database has outgrown Jet, upgrade the back end to SQL Server or MySQL or SQL Server Express. When you switch to a real database server back end, you will probably need to change your forms to bind them to queries with where clauses that limit the data returned.

Access is an excellent front end to any database that offers an ODBC driver.

It has been years since I did any development in anything other than Access but I am quite sure that nothing on the market provides such a productive RAD environment. Working with Crystal reports is similar to working with the Access report writer but more limited.

 

[KeithG]

I agree you really don't gain any benifit swithing to vb.net espically since you are still using the JET database engine.

 

[chad101]

Thank you for the reply

The reason I wanted to switch the front end over to vb.net is for the experience that I could add to my portfolio. I always ran into minor issues with VBA. The syntax is a little different on Access 2003 than vb.net 2003/05 which is what I learned in school and use today. I love what Access (in whole) has done for me. I have learned so much over the past 2 years for such a small price (MS Office $ vs. MS SQLServer $). But I have been laughed at in the real world by prospective employers on learning that I only use Access. They believe if I don’t have experience with ADO/ SQL Server then I am not of good use. So I wanted to start off in familiar territory by using Access as the back end and creating a front end in VB.net w/ ADO.net library. After I learn this (1-2 year(s)) I would switch the back end to MS SQLServer.

I have 0 experiences with Crystal Reports. But, I always thought you could do more w/ Crystal Reports than you can with Access reports?