Update a website table

[Pauldohert]

How do I move data from a local network to a website database.

The two tables are identical in design - but it needs to be published on the web.

Can this be achieved by the push of a button?

Any advice of how to start would be very welcome.

Thanks

 

[reclusivemonkey]

Paul,

You can easily export Tables/Queries to HTML or XML. I prefer XML myself, XSLT is pretty easy to pick up as long as you don't want any complicated grouping.

 

[Pauldohert]

Thanks

How do I get the web db to copy the XML data into its table - XSLT what is this?


Sorry I am a beginner at this.

Is there a a link you could give me to get me started?

 

[reclusivemonkey]

Sorry Paul I thought you just wanted to export data to a website. What is the web database built it? XML is pretty good at being a format to transfer data in so that method should still be an option, although how you pull it in depends on your Web DB.

XSLT is to XML as CSS is to HTML; it allows you to "style" the raw data so you get get a nice output in HTML. Its a little tricky to start with but very useful once you get into it.

 

[Pauldohert]

Both dbs are SQL server.


Can you run queries against "RAW" XML data - ie have a XML file with 1000 names in it, but then have a webpage that then shows contacts based on conatct names with surname starting with A etc. Or do I need to actaully populate the web db for this kind of thing.

(The workings of the webpage ASP are not my concern at this point) - just need to get the data there so it can be displayed however is chosen.

Ideally what would happen is automatically each night the local db would update the web db.

Thanks - and I apologise again for my ignornace of this subject.

 

[reclusivemonkey]

Both dbs are SQL server.

If this is the case, you should be able to connect via ODBC and syncronise your data. I don't use SQL Server, so I wouldn't be much use there.

Can you run queries against "RAW" XML data - ie have a XML file with 1000 names in it, but then have a webpage that then shows contacts based on conatct names with surname starting with A etc. Or do I need to actaully populate the web db for this kind of thing.

Simple answer is yes you can! You can do quite a lot with XML; export any table in your DB to XML and open the result up in notepad; I am sure it will make sense. Then take a look at the W3 Schools XSLT Tutorials, as always they are an excellent resource;

http://www.w3schools.com/xsl/default.asp

You can query for particular data, group, sort and many other things. If you combine this with CSS your options increase; this morning I have been using CSS to create simple graphs on the fly from XML data with just a few lines of CSS and XSLT.

(The workings of the webpage ASP are not my concern at this point) - just need to get the data there so it can be displayed however is chosen.

Ideally what would happen is automatically each night the local db would update the web db.

Thanks - and I apologise again for my ignornace of this subject.

LOL, no problem. Jack of All Trades, Master of None me! Again, ASP is something I know nothing about. I tend to go with the "path of least resistance" personally, but I use XML on an intranet rather than the internet, but it may end up being the easiest way to publish your data. Sorry I couldn't be of any more help.

 

[Pauldohert]

Thanks I will have a look at that link.