Database formats

[Dave]

Hi,

I work on a small team that currently uses an access 97 database for
managing peoples time.

The database front end is heavily implemented in VBA and is secured
with user level security, so that each user can log on etc. There is
generally about 10 people logged onto the database at any one time,
and the database simply resides on a shared network drive.

Our organisation however is removing support for MS Access following
an upgrade to Windows XP from NT4.

I have been tasked with re-writing this database and its front end as
a stand alone application, that will standalone from any other
application (i.e. not access or equivalent).

Although i have done a lot of Access VBA and standalone VB
programming, i have not done any VB programming that involves
databases. Basically i want all the data stored a database that is
stored on a shared drive as before, which the front end just accesses,
as before.

However there are so many different database formats - which one
should i use to acomplish that goal. All the books on database
programming with vb.net i have seen all seem to use SQL Server, so
purely for my learning curve this would seem the best to go for.
However - does this mean that we would have to purchase and run a copy
of SQL Server on a network server - we would not really want to do
this - or can i simple create an 'SQL Server' file (and all the tables
etc) on the network drive that my program can access and modify
directly?

Additionally several computers that run the program would still be
using NT4 - i can presumably install the .NET framework on them (or is
it already part of the NT4 service pack 6a). But will my program run
and still connect to this 'SQL Server' file OK?

Hope this makes sense and you can help me with this initial stumbling
block.

Many thanks
--
Dave

[Phil G.]

Hi Dave,

You REALLY should consider an SQL server and database(s). You can actually
download for free (yes, I did say FREE!! :-) the lite version of SQL server
2000, known as MSDE. Follow this link for download and more info.
http://www.microsoft.com/sql/msde/do...s/default.mspx

I have MS Access 2000 (not sure if same on 97) and within that app. there is
the ability to 'Upsize' your database directly onto an sql server instance.
This will not only convert your db but add it nicely to your server machine.

I guess there is a little to learn with SQL and programming but there is
plenty of info. as you have found. VS.Net has excellent classes for
manipulating sql db's as well as some databound controls that require no
coding whatsoever.

HTH, Phil

"Dave" <da**@rmvthischingenterprises.com> wrote in message
news:j2********************************@4ax.com...

Hi,

I work on a small team that currently uses an access 97 database for
managing peoples time.

The database front end is heavily implemented in VBA and is secured
with user level security, so that each user can log on etc. There is
generally about 10 people logged onto the database at any one time,
and the database simply resides on a shared network drive.

Our organisation however is removing support for MS Access following
an upgrade to Windows XP from NT4.

I have been tasked with re-writing this database and its front end as
a stand alone application, that will standalone from any other
application (i.e. not access or equivalent).

Although i have done a lot of Access VBA and standalone VB
programming, i have not done any VB programming that involves
databases. Basically i want all the data stored a database that is
stored on a shared drive as before, which the front end just accesses,
as before.

However there are so many different database formats - which one
should i use to acomplish that goal. All the books on database
programming with vb.net i have seen all seem to use SQL Server, so
purely for my learning curve this would seem the best to go for.
However - does this mean that we would have to purchase and run a copy
of SQL Server on a network server - we would not really want to do
this - or can i simple create an 'SQL Server' file (and all the tables
etc) on the network drive that my program can access and modify
directly?

Additionally several computers that run the program would still be
using NT4 - i can presumably install the .NET framework on them (or is
it already part of the NT4 service pack 6a). But will my program run
and still connect to this 'SQL Server' file OK?

Hope this makes sense and you can help me with this initial stumbling
block.

Many thanks
--
Dave