Access FE, SQL Express BE - Thoughts, Hints, Tips Please!

[teddysnips]

I've been away from Access programming for a while now, but I have a
client who wants a little bespoke contact management system set up.

I propose to use SQL Express as a back-end, and MS Access as a front
end.

What is the current state of thinking about the best way to approach
this? Is DAO still available (I have stacks of old DAO library
code)? Are bound or unbound forms "in" this year? What are the
arguments for or against? Is SQL Express a poor choice of back-end
(I've only used it for Internet apps on IIS servers so far - it seems
ok, though SQL Reporting Services is a bit of a pig to set up).

Anyway, any thoughts, hints or tips gratefully received.

Thanks

Edward

 

[Arvin Meyer MVP]

If you want portability, SQL-Express is not the best choice, but it is if
you need security, and especially if you are running on a web server. Using
any version of Access an MDB front-end will allow the greatest flexibility
with either a JET or SQL backend. All your familiar functionality will work.

 

[John W. Vinson]

I've been away from Access programming for a while now, but I have a
client who wants a little bespoke contact management system set up.

I propose to use SQL Express as a back-end, and MS Access as a front
end.

Should work fine.

What is the current state of thinking about the best way to approach
this? Is DAO still available (I have stacks of old DAO library
code)?

Available, and in fact recommended. ADO is still available but it's on the

Are bound or unbound forms "in" this year? What are the
arguments for or against?

I use them routinely. However, whatever the backend, your best bet is to base
the form on a recordset which retrieves the minimum number of records. Rather
than binding the form to the entire table, use a query returning just the one
record the user wants to see, or (if they're adding new data) no records at
all.

Is SQL Express a poor choice of back-end
(I've only used it for Internet apps on IIS servers so far - it seems
ok, though SQL Reporting Services is a bit of a pig to set up).

Works fine, the only problem is that there aren't many database management
tools "out of the box". You can get SQL Server Management Studio Express for
free to manage the backend. Access makes a great report generator and
frontend; Reporting Services is an option as well, I'm more familiar with
Access.

 

[Tony Toews [MVP]]

I propose to use SQL Express as a back-end, and MS Access as a front
end.
Great

Is DAO still available (I have stacks of old DAO library code)?

Very much so and is recommended.

Are bound or unbound forms "in" this year?

Definitely bound,.

What are the arguments for or against?

Less work and more work.

Is SQL Express a poor choice of back-end

That'll work. It helps to have expertise in it which you appear to have. Using an
MDB for data is simpler and reduces the learning curve of course. But not as good
in other respects as I'm sure you well know.

Tony

 

[Tony Toews [MVP]]

Definitely bound,.


Less work and more work.

I should clarify that a bit.

Less work for the developer. More work for the developer.

Tony

 

[marie dubois]

tageule

 

[kate]

Very much so and is recommended.


Definitely bound,.


Less work and more work.


That'll work. It helps to have expertise in it which you appear to have.
Using an
MDB for data is simpler and reduces the learning curve of course. But
not as good
in other respects as I'm sure you well know.

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Tony's Main MS Access pages - http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
Tony's Microsoft Access Blog - http://msmvps.com/blogs/access/
Granite Fleet Manager http://www.granitefleet.com/