Where to go after Access?

[PWB]

I have developed custom applications in Access for about 13 years now in a variety of businesses. I began with single user, single database applications. I moved to multi user split database applications with an Access front end and back end. I now have applications that use Access as my front end/client application and SQL express as my back end/database server. These latest applications have users in multi locations. I read my data from SQL and write it to a local working access table and then disconnect from the SQL database. If any changes are made I connect to SQL server and update the data. I am currently creating some applications that I would like to package and sell. I would like to be able to sell these applications without the end user having to have Access.

My questions are:
What would be the best language to convert to if I want to compile my program and install it as standalone desktop client application?

What would be the best language to use if I want my program installed on an IPad?

Any opinion would be appreciated.

 

[speakers_86]

Multi user, multiple locations, no Access? Sounds like the beginnings of a website to me. When I felt ready to move on, I moved onto web design. I built a website using PHP and MySQL. That could work fine on an iPad. Plus, its not that hard to learn. HTML is simple. JavaScript is basically trial and error. PHP has plenty of tutorials online. It is a bit of a pain to debug, but a little patience goes a long way.

 

[Galaxiom]

I agree that going to web design is probably a good move. It is the easiest way to get total cross platfom compatibility.

However before you go with speakers86's suggestion I would recommend you write some simple ASP pages with connections to SQL Server.

ASP is usually written in Visual Basic so it isn't a big leap from VBA and you already know the database server rather then taking on MySQL at the same time. Most of what you will be learning is the HTML, CSS and JavaScript stuff.

Then go to PHP and MySQL.

Another tack would be to download Visual Studio Express and get your teeth into VB.NET. This allows you to do applications without Access. However users without the latest operating systems still need the huge .NET runtime packages so it isn't that much of an improvement over Access runtime.

VB.NET is compiled so it does run faster but it is quite a climb up from Access.

VB.NET has a lot of advanced automated stuff for connections and many other things that are done manually in VBA. However it also half supports some VBA code. Just past in your favourite VBA module (nothing with Access objects) and it will fix some of it and suggest what you syntax might need. Visual Studio has Intellisense on steroids.

I found it was a good way to get started on the nuances VB.NET which is much more object oriented than VBA.

You can get started learning how to connect and run loops, handle dates etc in a simple console application. Then work on designing forms.

 

[PWB]

Thanks for the replies.

The method I use of reading my data from SQL and holding it in a local access table, how would this work with a web design? Where and what would hold the data while disconnected from SQL?

Same questions in VB.net. Would I still have to have an Access .mdb file to hold my working tables locally or is the disconnected data stored in some other way?

Thanks again for your thoughts.

 

[Galaxiom]

Many different databases can be connected to php or ASP generated pages. It is just a matter of incorporating the appropriate connection string into the code so that database commands can be sent. Communication can also be done via recordsets.

I assumed you would have been using these techniques already with Access to SQL Server. If you haven't yet and are only using linked tables then I would recommend you learn to connect to SQL Server and read and write data using VBA as your first step.

The server hosting the pages needs to be connected to a database. Codes in ASP and php pages are used to create dynamic html pages. It reads the database and loads the appropriate data into the page on demand.

Users respond with by filling in fields on the page displayed in their browser and click buttons to run Javascript that posts the data back to the server. The server communicates with the database to store the data it receives from the user.

BTW Why do you hold your SQL Server data in a local Access table?

 

[speakers_86]

Storing the data locally would not be needed with the website setup. If you need local access, then I would not recommend a website. Probably VB.net or something similar.

 

[panthers1788]

- PHP MySQL
- .NET SQL (HTML 5) will run on iPad.

 

[PWB]

Again thanks for your replies.

Galaxiom in response to your comments:

I am reading my data from sql via vba code and recordsets and then just storing my data in local access tables out of ignorance i guess. When i began everything was in access and my form's recordsource was a local access table. When i moved up to using sql i used vba, connection strings, and recordsets to get the data i needed and then stored the data in local tables for use in forms and reports. I use not linked tables or queries at all. As you can tell i am a self taught programmer, but i have created some pretty complex and stable systems that have pleased the people that use them. I am now having more people that what my services but I am trying to understand how to have my data available without the local mdb file that supplies my forms and reports.

Thanks.

 

[Galaxiom]

You probably know that the recordsets opened against SQL Server can be used directly with bound forms and reports.

Sounds like you won't have much trouble picking up web based design.

Start by studying HTML and create a simple static page. Then learn how to format it with CSS. Then put a form on the page and try some simple Javascript. All this can be done in a text editor and tested just using your browser.

I recommend you get a simple text based html editor. There is nothing much to be leaned by using fancy html designers which mostly write terrible inefficient code.

Once you get this done you will be in a position to start on dynamic pages and bring in the database facilities.

 

[speakers_86]

I like Notepada++. I've also got Geany and Programmers Notepad, though I never use them.

 

[Steve R.]

Start by studying HTML and create a simple static page. Then learn how to format it with CSS. Then put a form on the page and try some simple Javascript. All this can be done in a text editor and tested just using your browser.

Exactly what I have been doing.

 

[PWB]

Thanks for all the info.

PWB