dotnet question

[Mark A. Sam]

Hello,

I am strictly an Access Developer with limited exposure to ASP. My client
wants to put his database online through a brower, which would mean using
Thin Client Web ( I think that is the correct term) or something like Visual
Studio and creating web pages for accessing the database remotely. He wants
the same functionality as the Access DB. Many of the forms and reports are
extremely complex with 3-4 layers of subforms and subreports and much
coding.

I have no experience in web programming. I am seeking opinions on whether
to go to a .Net platform. What will it mean as far as programming? Do the
tools aid the programmer or is it programming intensive. Simple to change to
this environment or like starting over from scratch to learn the techniques.
Would by VBA programming skills be useful or not at all?

Thanks for any opinion you could render. I know this is a difficult
question to answer becuase it depends on the individual, but I am average
intelligence if that helps you.

God Bless,

Mark A. Sam

 

[Cor Ligthert [MVP]]

Mark,

The problem with a webbrowser is that security problems are closing
everything. (You cannot access the disk of your client. As that is not
needed you can just use a webform webapplication.) A browser is a real thin
kind which means that checking of data needs mostly a roundtrip back to your
webserver/databaseserver. The complexety of your forms and the reports give
me the idea that the change that you will succeed using the browswer is
probably something less than 1%.

To reach what you ask the most without the problems of a browser is in my
opinion using a windowform application that uses webservices.

A webservice is very easy to use in Net. Your client is than using a
windowform application that has the same possibilities as Access (be aware
that Access is completely only dedicated to dataprocessing and is therefore
probably easier to use) while he can access his data from everywhere in the
world.

There are two nice samples on MSDN.
The problem is that the first one is using the Pub database and it is
possible you have that not anymore.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/d...atingDistributedWebApplicationWalkthrough.asp

The second one is using Northwind, however is difficult to read and has at
least one error. Telling how to solve that is however that strange for you
that it makes in my opinion no sense, therefore just read it and don't try.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/d...atingDistributedWebApplicationWalkthrough.asp

You can read the documentation from the RichClient to see about the security
problems, reading it makes you probably a better discussion partner for your
client.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/msdnmag/issues/02/06/rich/default.aspx

And to start just try as VBA programmer VB Express 2005 it is free this
year.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/vb/

I hope this helps a little bit?

Cor

 

[Mark A. Sam]

Thank you Cor.

Is a windowform application that you mention below a desktop client? If
yes, then does it need to be installed on the user's machine? If yes, then
it would be useful to just use an Access .mde application. Am I wrong?

God Bless,

Mark

 

[Cor Ligthert [MVP]]

Mark,

Is a windowform application that you mention below a desktop client? If
yes, then does it need to be installed on the user's machine? If yes,
then
it would be useful to just use an Access .mde application. Am I wrong?

It is a destop client which has to be installed on the user's machine.

If you are able to connect on every place on earth your Access application
to a Central Database (by instance using a portable) and your knowledge is
Access. Than I probably would not change if there cannot come any problem,
by instance because of security in future, with that application.

My current knowledge of MS Access is not enough to give the slightest advice
in that.

However the webservice makes it your possible as a kind of physical middle
tier to easily connect your datatabase to any client that is able to handle
a webservice (the client can as well be a webform however that has not much
sense if it is your own webform using ASPNET).

I hope this gives an idea

Cor

 

[Mark A. Sam]

Dear Cor,

Visual Web Developer 2005 Express Edition seems to be what I am looking
for. What I don't know is what I need to utilize it. Do I need Visual
Studio, ASP.NET or what? I get lost whenever I try to figure out if I need
something from Microsoft. If you could tell me anything getting started
with Visual Web Developer 2005 Express Edition, that would be a great help.
I would be working remotely though teminal services. My Client's back end
it SQL Server.

If this is too time consuming for you, then no need to reply.

God Bless,

Mark

 

[Cor Ligthert [MVP]]

Mark,

That visual web developer 2005 will give you an answer on a webapplication.
You cannot create windowforms application with that. However just try it,
than you will see what I wrote that you can probably not reach your goal
with that and show that to your client.

I would in your case start with Visual Basic 2005 Express and try if you
understand that a little bit that sample. You need for that an IIS server on
your computer and a pub database.

Net is in my opinion not real made for terminal services, so be aware to get
problems with that. Try it than in a vsnet newsgroup, about that I have
never seen any information in this newsgroup.

The SQL server fits 1 to 1.

If you want to make a real application, than you probably will need Visual
Studio Net 2005 profesional or something. Be than aware that you instead
that you direct buys that have first a look at an MSDN subscribtion.

Beside that is the website below the website for information for developing
with Net. It has some problems at the moment but that is mostly when a new
version is introduced.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/

I hope that this gives some information

Cor

 

[Mark A. Sam]

Thanks cor.

I think I have it figure out. I also think you misunderstood me. I'm not
looking for a Client. If I was I would use an Access database with linked
tables. My client wants the app to work from a browser, so I am going to
focus on the Visual Web Developer 2005 Edition for now then see where it
leads.

I appreciate your input. It led me to where I want to be.

God Bless,

Mark