Recommended db app strategy

  • Thread starter Thread starter John
  • Start date Start date
J

John

Hi

I have an access backend database to which I need to give a vb.net front
end. I created db connection and data source in vs 2008., I then dragged the
fields onto a form which created the app for me. The app works ok but my
question is; is this the correct/acceptable way to cerate an app or should I
be using another technique?

Thanks

Regards
 
I have an access backend database to which I need to give a vb.net
front end. I created db connection and data source in vs 2008., I then
dragged the fields onto a form which created the app for me. The app
works ok but my question is; is this the correct/acceptable way to
cerate an app or should I be using another technique?
Click to expand...

Access is more or less being phased out - take a look at using SQL Server
CE which is potentially a better solution (more easily upgradable to full
SQL server in the future).

You should also implement some sort of design pattern/framework to abstract
your data access.
 
Do you know something that nobody else does?


Spam Catcher said:
Access is more or less being phased out - take a look at using SQL Server
CE which is potentially a better solution (more easily upgradable to full
SQL server in the future).

You should also implement some sort of design pattern/framework to
abstract
your data access.
Click to expand...
 
huh ???

Stephany if you mean Spam Catcher`s remark about Access

In my opinion he is right ,,, or do you see a 64 bit oledb driver ?? just
to call one hint
I had to stop using Access as db for my deployable apps for this reasson and
started to use SQL server annywhere eg everywhere ( now CE i believe )


I also do not see anny reasson to stick with Access as it only give you a
lot of pain to get it working ( Mdac and Jet refresh pack ) compared to sql
server CE wich is a XCopy deployable dll , ofcourse if you write deployable
apps ( as i did in the past to 20.000 users europe wide )



regards

Michel
 
Do you know something that nobody else does?
Click to expand...

Straight from Microsoft:

Access (Jet) and FoxPro (dbf)
Many applications offer integrated storage engines that are designed to
meet the specific needs of their users. Access and FoxPro, being part of
Microsoft Office, are examples of products that have integrated database
engines that work well within their context but were never fully integrated
into the Visual Studio development environment, as they weren’t considered
general purpose data storage engines.

Phased out might be too harsh of a word, but I believe Microsoft is
shifting developers from Access to the SQL Server platform. Embedded apps
will use SQL Server Compact Edition. Other application Express, Standard,
Enterprise.

Looking at SQL Server CE's feature set ... is there a reason to stick with
Access? Not only does CE provide higher performance, but also T-SQL
compatiblity, synchronization capabilities, etc, why would one use it?
 
I mean "why wouldn't one not use it" :-)
Click to expand...

In my case because (a) it swallows resources to run and (b) it is a pig to
backup (in Access I can just copy the files).

However, apart from that I'm sure you're right :-)
 
'Huh ??
In my case because (a) it swallows resources to run and (b) it is a pig to
backup (in Access I can just copy the files).
Click to expand...

AFAIK :

Are you sure ?? sql server anywhere is designed for a small footprint and
has a single storage file wich van also be protected / encrypted ( just as
you can with access ) , after disconecting you should be able to copy the
file to a backup location to
 
Are you sure ?? sql server anywhere is designed for a small footprint
and has a single storage file wich van also be protected / encrypted (
just as you can with access ) , after disconecting you should be able to
copy the file to a backup location to
Click to expand...

My backups run on an overnight schedule so I am not keen on
disconnecting/stopping the server and then re-starting it. It's horses for
courses. I do run MySQL on the PC for testing php but none of the data is
backed up.
 
Hi,
AFAIK :

Are you sure ?? sql server anywhere is designed for a small footprint and
has a single storage file wich van also be protected / encrypted ( just as
you can with access ) , after disconecting you should be able to copy the
file to a backup location to
Click to expand...

sorry for "rushing in" here, but I am currently developing an application
that uses SQLS when users are connected to the LAN and <Something Else>
when they're i.e. out in the field or at home, without access to the LAN.
What exactly is to be used as <Something Else> is more or less up to me. I
was thinking of MS Access. Hearing that there is a "SQL Server Anywhere"
version, this could actually help me to have to only provide one way of
accessing data. Apart from standard things such as executing SPs and
functions, there isn't anything that the database would have to do.

On the web, I found a page on the MS website which refers to the "SQL
Server Compact 3.5" which I guess is what you guys are refering to.
See -> http://www.microsoft.com/sql/editions/compact/default.mspx

Would it be possible to use the System.Data.Sql* namespaces to connect to
both a SQLS2000 and SQLSC3.5? Anybody done this before ..?

Cheers,
Olaf
 
In my case because (a) it swallows resources to run and (b) it is a
pig to backup (in Access I can just copy the files).
Click to expand...

You can backup SQL Server CE by just copying the files.

As for resources, the runtime is ~1.5MB - quite small. Memory usage seems
to be minimal as well.
 
Would it be possible to use the System.Data.Sql* namespaces to connect to
both a SQLS2000 and SQLSC3.5? Anybody done this before ..?
Click to expand...

They use difference ADO.NET drivers to connect.

Nevertheless you could use a data abstraction layer to handle your
requirements - a framework such as LLBLGen Pro would do what you need.

As for synching SQL Server CE -> SQL Server, yes I believe that is provided
out of the box.
 
While the server is running?

There is no reall server running with SQL CE , i recomend you to read some
documentation about the subject
there is a SQL CE dll loaded , just as with Access the jet engines are
loaded

You can just as with Access copy the DB file and also with Access you cannot
just copy the file while the file is beeing used ( you can if you open the
DB "with add share deny none" flag in the connection string however after
copying it might be corrupted )


if you really want some great information about the subject i can recomend
you Hitchhiker's Guide to SQL Server 2005 Compact Edition you can find it
here http://www.betav.com/

Actually it was Bill Vaughn who told me i could ditch Access in favor of SQL
server Everywhere in one of these newsgroups, after i started a discussion
about features i missed in the SQL engine for deployability ( protection
of my valuable data as my company is the owner of the displayed data , no
need of SQL server client installation , small memory foootprint etc etc
etc ) all these are solved with SQL server Everywhere and as a benefit
it gives you scalability

HTH

Michel Posseth
 
Not being clued in on SQL Server, what is the different between SQL Server
CE and SQL Server Express in that when should one be used instead of the
other?

Thanks

Regards
 
There is no reall server running with SQL CE , i recomend you to read
some documentation about the subject
there is a SQL CE dll loaded , just as with Access the jet engines are
loaded

You can just as with Access copy the DB file and also with Access you
cannot just copy the file while the file is beeing used ( you can if you
open the DB "with add share deny none" flag in the connection string
however after copying it might be corrupted )
Click to expand...

OK, thanks, I'll have another look at it :-)
 
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