Run Access reports from VB

[JDMils]

Is it possible to execute a report stored in an Access DB from a VB.Net app?
If so, how (sample code would be heavenly)?

Reason being is that one guy in the company has created a lot of reports in
an Access DB which pulls its data from a SQL Server (Don't ask!). He has
convinced management to purchase 30 copies of Access for the 30 users in his
dept so that they can all run the reports he created in the Access DB.

My goal is to convince management that this is ludicrous and that we should
be investing the money in a VB.Net app which in turn runs the reports in
this guy's Access DB. However, I'm more inclined to create the reports
straight from the SQL Server, but the guy's already spent months developing
the Access reports.

Is there a solution to this?

 

[Norman Yuan]

You can use ActiveX Automation to automate Access to open report in Access.
It is straightforward in VB. With VB.NET you do it basically the same way
with COM Interop. However, you must have Access installed. So, your point
here does not make much sence, if all users already have Access installed:
the user can start Access to get the report they want, why they have to run
your app and have the app to start Access and then open the report in
Access?

IMO, Access is a very good report tool, whether the back end is Jet database
or SQL Server. Unless you want to move the reporting system to SQL Server
reporting Services in near future, in your case (everyone has Access
installed, and quite some reports have been developed, and the management
feels OK with it), you better stick with it.

 

[Tony Toews]

Reason being is that one guy in the company has created a lot of reports in
an Access DB which pulls its data from a SQL Server (Don't ask!).

Why not? Access is an excellent reporting tool

He has
convinced management to purchase 30 copies of Access for the 30 users in his
dept so that they can all run the reports he created in the Access DB.

Another alternative is to purchase the Access 2003 runtime and install
that app on each system. That's about $500 USD. It's available as
part of the VSTO or Visual Studio Tools for Office.

Microsoft Access (Office) Developer Edition FAQ
http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/developereditionfaq.htm

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm

 

[Brendan Reynolds]

My advice is, if it works, don't fix it!

If you must, though, SQL Server Reporting Services has a feature to import
Access reports. I haven't tested it, so I can't say how well it works, but
if I had a bunch of Access reports that I wanted to use in a .NET app, I'd
look into that option first.