Access newbie

  • Thread starter Thread starter em_CT
  • Start date Start date
E

em_CT

I want to migrate to Access from Lotus Approach and need some advise on a
good book.
I have build some greater application under Approach and sold them, but
there is a lot of baggage that has to go with it to run.

So, now I want to learn something new, but I should have a sleight advantage
by knowing how it should work ;-). I did manage to create tables in Access
with data bases I want to use.

I would like to migrate my old stuff over, is it possible?
Is there anybody here that has worked with Approach?
Can someone steer me in the right direction?

Thanks

Regards,
Egmont
em_CT
USA
 
I want to migrate to Access from Lotus Approach and need some advise on a
good book.
Click to expand...

Hum, I don't know if there is any good books on migration from one system to
another. I do talk about the concepts and ideas that help me when I am
converting an application from one environment to another. You can read
about my thoughts, and how a conversion from one system to another went
here:

http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKallal/Articles/fog0000000003.html

However, you idea of looking/getting a book is a VERY VERY good idea!! I
would consider something like Access 2003 inside out.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0735615136/viescaconsulinc/102-8129374-8291301

(not sure how much coding explain you have here??)

I have build some greater application under Approach and sold them, but
Click to expand...
there is a lot of baggage that has to go with it to run.

ms-access does have a royalty free runtime system, but you still have to
accept the fact this is runtime system is in fact a version of ms-access,
and has all the trappings of ms-access when it is installed on the target
machine. So, while you can build a stand alone windows install disk with
ms-access + your applications, the results are still fairly large (about 33
megs, + a few more for your applications). You will need the developer
extensions (purchased separately) for office 2003 to do this. For wide
commercial distribution, I would purchase some install scripts for
ms-access.
would like to migrate my old stuff over, is it possible?
Click to expand...

You can certainly move the data. Just export the data from lotus to
something like a comma delimited file. You can then import the files into
ms-access.
So, now I want to learn something new, but I should have a sleight
advantage
Click to expand...
by knowing how it should work ;-)

Well, as far as data normalizing, and building data structures, that does in
fact apply to all data systems. However, how you solve, and approach actual
problems and solutions in ms-access WILL NOT be the same as FoxPro, or
Approach in your case.
 
Approach used a dBase(DBF) file format for its data tables; those can be
imported into Access
and converted into Access/Jet tables, or you can link to DBF tables and
continue to work in that format.
Unfortunately, your forms, reports and macros will not convert and will have
to be re-created.
-Ed
 
Albert,

Thank you for the leads, I ordered the book.

Well lets see what happens.

Regards,
Egmont
em_CT
USA
 
Thank you Ed, sadly I'm aware of that.
I will just start with a small program for personal use and see where it
gets me.
Are you saying that I don't have to convert the DBF files to Access?
I can just link to the dBase table?
Any drawback to this method? The program that I want eventually convert has
a ton of DBF.

Regards,
Egmont
em_CT
USA
 
Access can "link" to any/most external data file types, DBF and DB
(Approach/dBase/FoxPro/Clipper/Paradox) in their native format, and others
through ODBC. Converting them to native Access tables however will let you
modify their indexes and relationships. Most developers "split" their data
even in Access, so that the back-end data tables are a separate file (on a
server?) from the front-end application (forms/reports).
-Ed
 
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