Ms ACCESS GUI

[ultramel1987]

Hi there

Is it possible to design / create the "front-end" of an Access database in another program which has more features, and then link it to the database?

I'm looking to create a ms Access db with the GUI appearing more..."Flash like"..

Hope this makes sense

Thank you

 

[SirFooK'nG]

Well yes, you can... but then you need how to code in whatever Dev app you use. I used to do a lot of work in access, front end in VB.. but that was years ago...

 

[MartyMarts]

Yes you can but not sure you can link the front-end from within access. i.e. You'd need to have the front-end using the access db(s) as a back-end.
As dequadin mentioned, why not use SQL?

 

[ultramel1987]

have no experience in SQL -even the installation is a mission!! But I guess Access is not the right way to go anymore with all the latest software which is available? Do I download SQL Server, or SQL Enterprise? and where would I design the GUI for sQL databases?

Thank you for the replies

 

[SirFooK'nG]

Dont be too concerned, if its not a big project, access is very nice... how many people will be using it?

BTW I just started using SQLite, which is free, for a C# project that I am doing...

http://www.sqlite.org/

SQLite is a in-process library that implements a self-contained, serverless, zero-configuration, transactional SQL database engine. The code for SQLite is in the public domain and is thus free for use for any purpose, commercial or private.

 

[MartyMarts]

have no experience in SQL -even the installation is a mission!! But I guess Access is not the right way to go anymore with all the latest software which is available? Do I download SQL Server, or SQL Enterprise? and where would I design the GUI for sQL databases?

Thank you for the replies

Access is pretty powerful and easy to use imo. I worked with and developed within Access for a few years and it could do everything I needed it to. So if it suits your current and future needs then carry on. If you're heading towards a more enterprise based solution i.e. many users and tons of data throughput then investigate the SQL route.

 

[SirFooK'nG]

I must say that I agree with marty, but also have had my fare share of corrupted dB's !! I think the maximum users I had on one Access dB was about 15 - 20. And that was setup via citrix, with full dB protection (user groups), each person had to login and had rights to do certian things only. The master file sat on our main server, so the citrix sessions only had the "shell" for a front end.

 

[ultramel1987]

I have experimented with Visual Studio express a bit (with VB). Can those forms be customised with flash forms etc? The project I have to do needs to contain "pretty" interfaces - for lack of a better word....not necessarily flash animation, but just various different colours, images and button icons, etc?

Not sure if this is a good example, but on Pastel Partner's - SYSTEM NAVIGATOR, you will see what I am trying to accomplish. is it possible for me to post a pdf file in this forum?

 

[SirFooK'nG]

Well in access (using some VBA) you can pretty much make anything a button (just monitor the on click event) so if you want "pretty" stuff, just embed or wrap...

 

[MartyMarts]

It also has a history of corrupting the database.

Yes, definitely but it depends on how well you've structured your db(s), how many users concurrently use the db(s), data throughput and some other factors. With a small user base it would be fine.

I must say that I agree with marty, but also have had my fare share of corrupted dB's !! I think the maximum users I had on one Access dB was about 15 - 20. And that was setup via citrix, with full dB protection (user groups), each person had to login and had rights to do certian things only. The master file sat on our main server, so the citrix sessions only had the "shell" for a front end.

Let me put it this way - I had a 'front-end' access db which linked to about 10 other 'back-end' access dbs. About 30 to 40 users concurrently using it on a daily basis and I also used Access to manage who did what, what they could see etc.

I wrote an external script to compact/repair the heavily utilised dbs on a daily basis and also to 'publish' new versions of forms & reports etc. In the few years I managed and continuously added functionality, I had db corruption maybe 2 or 3 times with very minimal data loss. We're talking about around 5/6 GB of data in total.

 

[MartyMarts]

Well in access (using some VBA) you can pretty much make anything a button (just monitor the on click event) so if you want "pretty" stuff, just embed or wrap...

True. I did some pretty cool stuff with Access 2003 back in the day and I'm sure with Access 2010, you could probably do much more.

 

[Raithlin]

I have experimented with Visual Studio express a bit (with VB). Can those forms be customised with flash forms etc? The project I have to do needs to contain "pretty" interfaces - for lack of a better word....not necessarily flash animation, but just various different colours, images and button icons, etc?

Not sure if this is a good example, but on Pastel Partner's - SYSTEM NAVIGATOR, you will see what I am trying to accomplish. is it possible for me to post a pdf file in this forum?

You should have no problem with this - Visual Studio prefers not to use Access, but can do so easily enough, and you should have no trouble using the design interface to create the UI. The real challenge will be creating the logic, but if you've used VBA enough it shouldn't be too big a jump.