Creating Access forms for a website/intranet

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scott

I saw a post from December 05 that talks about what I am interested in
pursuing and I am hoping that things have evolved since then. I have an
Access database with some fairly complex forms that I would like to "publish"
to a website (it's really an intranet). The answer from Rick Brandt to the
05 post was that you can't really do that; you have to create Data Access
Pages in Access that "run in a browser and allow simple interaction with the
database. They are not the same as an Access form, but they can be used in
an intranet when rich features and security are not a concern." Security
would be a minor concern in my case.

He also said that you would build "the application using a web-based
technology like ASP, ASP.NET, Java Server Pages, Javascript, PHP, (the list
gets bigger all the
time)."

I'm hoping that now there is a utility or method for converting Access forms
to "Data Access Pages" or equivalent. I saw a product on
http://dbconvert.com/ that purports to convert MS Access to PHP and other
formats.

I am using Access 2003, but would be willing to go to different version to
accomplish what I want. I welcome any suggestions. I would also welcome
thoughtful discussion of what I would lose in an attempt to publish my
complex forms to a "Data Access Page" or equivalent. I am a fairly seasoned
Access programmer with very little web experience.
 
For the most part, nothing really changed.

ms-access is not a web system. It does not have web development features,
and is complete the wrong product and technology to use for the web.

You would no more use an auto-Cad program to write games for computers then
you would use ms-access to try and create web based systems. They are simply
different horses for different courses.
He also said that you would build "the application using a web-based
technology like ASP, ASP.NET, Java Server Pages, Javascript, PHP, (the
list
gets bigger all the
time)."
Click to expand...

Yes, the above is the general approach here. If you looking to write a web
based system, then you use web based tools. If you looking to build a
building with bricks, then you use bricks. If you looking to build a
foundation with cement, then you use cement. It really that simple.

On the other hand, deploying and allowing users to use your ms-access
application anywhere anytime from any location via the internet is a 100%
DIFFERENT question then that of creating a web site. So, don't confuse the
issue of deploying your application so that people on the road, working at
home etc, or virtually anyone with internet access can be setup to use your
application. So, keep in my setting up your application to be used by people
anywhere with a internet connection is a GRAND CANYON of different goal then
that of turning your application into a web based system. While turning your
application into a web based system would give your uses access from
anywhere, there are other technologies will allow you to archive that goal
also *WITHOUT* having to re-write your application.

So, keep in mind what your actual goal here is!!!

is your goal to make a web based system, if yes, you must use web based
development tools and ms-access is 100% OF NO USE!

On the other hand, if your goal is to allow users anywhere in the country to
be able to use your application, then you can most certainly adopt some
technologies that allow you to achieve that goal, even WHEN using ms-access.

So, don't confuse the goal of writing a web based application with that
allowing users access to your ms access application. They are GRAND CANYON
of a different two goals here.

I explain some possible solutions for remote use over the internet here:
http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKallal//Wan/Wans.html
 
Too bad for me. Thanks for the quick response. If anyone else sees this and
can comment on the dbconvert that I saw, I would appreciate any feedback.
 
Hi Scott,

My recommendation would be to consider going with Sharepoint - you can do
most if not all of what you want using that technology and it has varied and
considerable other benefits as well. Or distant second choice IMO would be
to look at the Crystal Reports product line - they have a web add-in that is
capable of providing some fairly sophisticated thin client control over the
displayed data.

Interaction with a conventional web page and a database is a can of worms.
Yes you can do virtually anything with a web page that you can do in an
Access form but it will be (probably) a lot slower, require a lot more
coding, and the end result will be relatively fragile, more prone to
breaking for no apparent reason. There is always a reason, but it's not
always apparent or obvious.

On the other side of the argument, if you sit down with a copy of Expression
Web (or better, the suite) and some determination, you can probably get
there and the skills you will pick up along the way will be useful and very
marketable.

Hope this helps...

Gordon
 
Thanks.

gllincoln said:
Hi Scott,

My recommendation would be to consider going with Sharepoint - you can do
most if not all of what you want using that technology and it has varied and
considerable other benefits as well. Or distant second choice IMO would be
to look at the Crystal Reports product line - they have a web add-in that is
capable of providing some fairly sophisticated thin client control over the
displayed data.

Interaction with a conventional web page and a database is a can of worms.
Yes you can do virtually anything with a web page that you can do in an
Access form but it will be (probably) a lot slower, require a lot more
coding, and the end result will be relatively fragile, more prone to
breaking for no apparent reason. There is always a reason, but it's not
always apparent or obvious.

On the other side of the argument, if you sit down with a copy of Expression
Web (or better, the suite) and some determination, you can probably get
there and the skills you will pick up along the way will be useful and very
marketable.

Hope this helps...

Gordon
Click to expand...
 
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