Access via ftp

[Albert D. Kallal]

When you use MS access you actually have a program, and that program needs
to be able to read the database file (mdb) from the disk drive. Not only
does it need be able to read the data from the disk drive, but also needs to
be able to read and write parts of that file back to the file on disk.

What this means is that you actually need windows networking, or the windows
file system in which to read, and write bits and pieces of the back and
forth from the disk drive.

ftp has no such ability, and it is not even part of the windows file system.

ftp = file transfer protocol

All that ftp can do is transfer a whole file, it has no reading, or writing
ability built into that file system and therefore you can't use it with MS
access at all.

You could use FTP to download the whole file to your computer make
modifications to some data and then upload the file back to the particular
location you wish via FTP.

If you going to use MS access you're going to need a compatible windows file
system, and furthermore you'll need to be able to view that directory like
any other windows folder, and you'll need read and write ability to that
folder.

I give quite a clear explanation as to why you actually really can't use an
MS access file over the internt EVEN if you attempt to use windows
networking over the Internet (we age is possible by the way).

however on also to point to some possible solutions for remote use of an
access application here:

http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKallal//Wan/Wans.html

 

[Neil Gould]

Hi,

I posted this to the access.internet ng, but so far no response and I
don't see a lot of activity there. Hopefully, someone here can provide
some insights.

I'm trying to connect to an on-line access database using Access' ftp
connection. I get the error message that the location is not formatted
correctly or that I don't have read permission for the file. The
instructions from within Access Help files haven't helped so far. I can
manipulate the file from ASP routines that I write.

Any insights would be appreciated.

 

[david]

Yes, the help files are a little obscure on this subject.

FTP only 'works' for linked TEXT files. That is, CSV,
maybe XLS, that kind of thing.

And it only allows you to READ those files: you can't
add or update.

I say 'works' in quotes, because I've never seen it work.
It is so limited that once I understand the limitations, I stopped trying
:~)


(david)

 

[Neil Gould]

Yes, the help files are a little obscure on this subject.

FTP only 'works' for linked TEXT files. That is, CSV,
maybe XLS, that kind of thing.

And it only allows you to READ those files: you can't
add or update.

I say 'works' in quotes, because I've never seen it work.
It is so limited that once I understand the limitations, I stopped
trying :~)

Thanks for your reply. I can now stop beating my head against that wall
and continue writing a database interface in ASP. Talk about reinventing
wheels... 8-(

Regards,

Neil