Searching a database through an ASP website

[Stuart Clark]

Hello,
I haven't done much with ASP but now I'm giving it a go! However, I'd
like to ask if anybody knows if what I need to do is possible.

I have a database with a lot of tables. Each table represents a
customer. As customers come and go, so tables will be added and
removed.

I need to create a search utility that will search all tables for
(e.g.) a customer name. I'm learning ASP so I'm not that advanced, but
I'm assuming it will use some kind of SQL statment along the lines of
SELECT [criteria] FROM [tablename]. Do I need to manually add each
table name or is there a command that will automatically select all
tables?

Many thanks in advance! All advice will be of use. I'm using
dreamweavr MX and Access 2000.

Cheers,
Stu.
moonklash

[Tom van Stiphout]

On 4 Oct 2004 03:44:46 -0700, st**********@Ex cite.com (Stuart Clark)
wrote:

There are some hidden sys* tables you could use, but the recommended
way is to use the ADOX library to enumerate the tables.

Did I mention this sounds like a really bad database design?

-Tom.

Hello,
I haven't done much with ASP but now I'm giving it a go! However, I'd
like to ask if anybody knows if what I need to do is possible.

I have a database with a lot of tables. Each table represents a
customer. As customers come and go, so tables will be added and
removed.

I need to create a search utility that will search all tables for
(e.g.) a customer name. I'm learning ASP so I'm not that advanced, but
I'm assuming it will use some kind of SQL statment along the lines of
SELECT [criteria] FROM [tablename]. Do I need to manually add each
table name or is there a command that will automatically select all
tables?

Many thanks in advance! All advice will be of use. I'm using
dreamweavr MX and Access 2000.

Cheers,
Stu.
moonklash

[Stuart Clark]

Hi,
Thanks for the advice! Yeah, the database design is... rather awkward!
I'll have a look and see if I can find the hidden tables. What's an ADOX
library? Don't recognise the term...

Cheers for your help, you've given me something to start working with
anyway!

Stu.

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[David Schofield]

On 4 Oct 2004 03:44:46 -0700, st**********@Ex cite.com (Stuart Clark)
wrote:

Hello,
I haven't done much with ASP but now I'm giving it a go! However, I'd
like to ask if anybody knows if what I need to do is possible.

I have a database with a lot of tables. Each table represents a
customer. As customers come and go, so tables will be added and
removed.

I need to create a search utility that will search all tables for
(e.g.) a customer name. I'm learning ASP so I'm not that advanced, but
I'm assuming it will use some kind of SQL statment along the lines of
SELECT [criteria] FROM [tablename]. Do I need to manually add each
table name or is there a command that will automatically select all
tables?

Many thanks in advance! All advice will be of use. I'm using
dreamweavr MX and Access 2000.

Cheers,
Stu.
moonklash

Hi
This is an unusual design. It would be more nomal (pun?) to have all
the customer records in one table, with a field to identify which
customer. If you did this you could what you want in simple SQL.
David

[Stuart Clark]

Hiya,

Thanks for the advice! I realise it would be easier if the database
design was a bit more sensible, but unfortunetely it's being used as a
mail server and so the table structure can't be changed... :(

Thanks anyway!
Stu.

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[Mark Thomas]

st**********@Ex cite.com (Stuart Clark) wrote in message news:<c7******* *************** ****@posting.go ogle.com>...

Hello,
I haven't done much with ASP but now I'm giving it a go! However, I'd
like to ask if anybody knows if what I need to do is possible.

I have a database with a lot of tables. Each table represents a
customer. As customers come and go, so tables will be added and
removed.

Probably best not to do it that way....stick to one table for all
customers and use a record for each new customer. Information about
the things that customers get up to can then go into related tables.

[user_5701]

You're along the right lines - "Select FieldName(s) From tableName
Where CustomerName = 'Criteria'"

But perhaps a better question would be why you have one table devoted
to each customer? A better database design would be to have a
customers table with each record devoted to a customer with proper ID
fields and linked foreign key fields. This will greatly simplify your
database and also your method of searching.

As for the way you have it now, you could make a seperate table with
all your table names in it, then when you go to search for a certain
customer, you get the table of table names in a recordset then in a
for loop use your recordset to build the sql to search for each one.

There is probably a better way in Access to do this, but I don't know
how - someone else may post it later. The best way would be above -
make a customers table (just one table) that will keep track of all
your customers.

st**********@Ex cite.com (Stuart Clark) wrote in message news:<c7******* *************** ****@posting.go ogle.com>...

Hello,
I haven't done much with ASP but now I'm giving it a go! However, I'd
like to ask if anybody knows if what I need to do is possible.

I have a database with a lot of tables. Each table represents a
customer. As customers come and go, so tables will be added and
removed.

I need to create a search utility that will search all tables for
(e.g.) a customer name. I'm learning ASP so I'm not that advanced, but
I'm assuming it will use some kind of SQL statment along the lines of
SELECT [criteria] FROM [tablename]. Do I need to manually add each
table name or is there a command that will automatically select all
tables?

Many thanks in advance! All advice will be of use. I'm using
dreamweavr MX and Access 2000.

Cheers,
Stu.
moonklash

[Lyle Fairfield]

Tom van Stiphout <no************ *@cox.net> wrote in
news:eu******** *************** *********@4ax.c om:

On 4 Oct 2004 03:44:46 -0700, st**********@Ex cite.com (Stuart Clark)
wrote:

There are some hidden sys* tables you could use, but the recommended
way is to use the ADOX library to enumerate the tables.

In what way is the use of the ADOX library superior to ADO's OpenSchema?

--
Lyle
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use iso date format: yyyy-mm-dd
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The e-mail address isn't, but you could use it to find one.

[Stuart Clark]

Hi,

Thanks to everyone for all the advice I've received. I did ask my boss
if it would be possible to restructure the database but unfortunetely it
isn't - the mail software needs the structure to remain as it is.

This leaves me looking for a work-around. I'm going to try the advice
that everyone has been kind enough to leave but I'll probably be back
soon with more questions. If anyone has any more suggestions I'd still
be gratefull to hear them! Of course, I have actually tried toing a

SELECT abc FROM *

I assume that this wouldn't work and that I need to address each table
directly?

Alternatively, I shall see if there is any way of getting that union
query to work and try and create a query that lists everything. Or right
a very long select statement....

Cheers!
Stu.

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