Is it possible to link to a table/db on a web server?

[PW]

From a desktop Access 2010 application?

The database would be an Access 2010 ACCDB or SQL Server or MySQL
(most likely Access).

I am just trying to think of a way to synchronize availability between
the desktop and a website.

On another note, we just had someone put our 2010 application (as is)
using Amazon Web Services and it worked great (except for printing
reports, so far)! That was cool to see.

-paulw

[Jen P.]

On 25/05/2012 21:01, PW wrote:
> From a desktop Access 2010 application?
>
> The database would be an Access 2010 ACCDB or SQL Server or MySQL
> (most likely Access).

Have you seen this?

http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.1/en/connector-odbc-examples-tools-with-access.html#connector-odbc-examples-tools-with-access-linked-tables

I've just done a similar thing with FMP on my Mac at home, and it works
brilliantly. Can't vouch for Access, but I can't see why it wouldn't
work well, too. :)

-Jen

[Danny J. Lesandrini]

The problem is, that's going to be really, really slow.

--
Danny Lesandrini
www.lesandrini.com/datafast/



"Jen P." wrote in message news:Oiu*ZZ...@news.chiark.greenend.org.uk...

[PW]

On Mon, 28 May 2012 09:14:04 +0100, "Jen P." <jp337...@cam.ac.uk>
wrote:

I distribute an Access 2010 ACCDE ("executable") so I don't know how I
would do this.

Thanks!

-paulw

[Jen P.]

On 28/05/2012 13:10, Danny J. Lesandrini wrote:
> The problem is, that's going to be really, really slow.
>
>

> "Jen P." wrote in message news:Oiu*ZZ...@news.chiark.greenend.org.uk...
>
> On 25/05/2012 21:01, PW wrote:
>> From a desktop Access 2010 application?
>>
>> The database would be an Access 2010 ACCDB or SQL Server or MySQL
>> (most likely Access).
>
> Have you seen this?
>
> http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.1/en/connector-odbc-examples-tools-with-access.html#connector-odbc-examples-tools-with-access-linked-tables

Ahh... Well, I've never done it with Access, so no idea about it being
fast or slow. Pity. That could have been useful for something I'm
working on here, too! Might still give it a go, I guess, since it's a
relatively small DB that only a few people need access to...

Sorry, paulw, maybe someone else can give you a better answer (and I'm
not sure how it would work with a distributable file, either).

-Jen

[PW]

These guys have figured it out:
http://www.fairsoftware.com/showorksweb.aspx

And yes, their application is an Access application (that will also
synch with an iPad).

[Albert D. Kallal]

>"Danny J. Lesandrini" wrote in message
>news:IWJwr.397999$Xo4.3...@en-nntp-13.dc1.easynews.com...

>The problem is, that's going to be really, really slow.
>
>--
>Danny Lesandrini
>www.lesandrini.com/datafast/

If you optimize the application to only pull records required into forms,
then performance can be more then acceptable.

I been doing this setup for many years with some of my applications. I
distribute the FE to customers, but I host the data on SQL server that
running on one of my ISP's

While you can't place a mdb back end and use that over a WAN, using SQL
server as the back end dramatically changes things.

So well written applications that don't pull unnecessary records over the
internet work very well with a SQL server back end. I find that in some
cases the setup works as well or even better then a split FE/BE on a typical
office network if efforts are made to optimize the application for SQL
server.

I mention this idea of using SQL server as a possible solution in the
following article of mine:

http://www.kallal.ca//Wan/Wans.html


--
Albert D. Kallal (Access MVP)
Edmonton, Alberta Canada
PleaseNoS...@msn.com

[PW]

Can't be an Access database Albert?

Is this what these guys are doing?

These guys have figured it out:
http://www.fairsoftware.com/showorksweb.aspx

-paul

[Danny J. Lesandrini]

Albert:

This is very true and is a good idea where it's planned for. I suppose each time I've tried it, I've simply used the
app as-is, without specifically engineering it for the latency.

--
Danny Lesandrini
www.lesandrini.com/datafast/



"Albert D. Kallal" wrote in message news:rDOzr.10535$gS5....@newsfe04.iad...

[Ron Weiner]

Danny J. Lesandrini formulated the question :

I have also been linking Access front end databases (MDB/MDE) into
remote sql server databases (via the Internet) for years with good
success. My strategy has always been build the Access app in what I
refer to as "The Access Way", and then fix stuff where the performance
is not up to snuff. Much of the time I do ZERO speed up fixes.

When I discover a performance increase is necessary, I have found all I
need are some Passthrough queries running Stored Procs on the server
that reduce the number of records coming over the wire.

It is a rare occasion where I need to do something really heroic, like
unbound forms, temp tables, etc. to make it all work.

Rdub

[Tony Toews]

On Wed, 06 Jun 2012 12:36:23 -0600, PW
<emailad...@ifIremember.com> wrote:

>These guys have figured it out:
>http://www.fairsoftware.com/showorksweb.aspx

The live demo links to http://sample.fairmanager.com/ which is a
website and not Access.

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/
For a convenient utility to keep your users FEs and other files
updated see http://www.autofeupdater.com/

[PW]

On Wed, 06 Jun 2012 22:28:45 -0600, Tony Toews
<tto...@telusplanet.net> wrote:

>On Wed, 06 Jun 2012 12:36:23 -0600, PW
><emailad...@ifIremember.com> wrote:
>
>>These guys have figured it out:
>>http://www.fairsoftware.com/showorksweb.aspx
>
>The live demo links to http://sample.fairmanager.com/ which is a
>website and not Access.
>
>Tony

Thanks Tony. So they are not linking up their Access desktop app with
their website?

I suppose that is not possible with Access.

-paul

[Albert D. Kallal]

"PW" wrote in message news:jnovs7thaaerdnhae...@4ax.com...

>>
>>I mention this idea of using SQL server as a possible solution in the
>>following article of mine:
>>
>>http://www.kallal.ca//Wan/Wans.html
>
>
>Can't be an Access database Albert?
>
>Is this what these guys are doing?
>
>These guys have figured it out:
>http://www.fairsoftware.com/showorksweb.aspx
>
>-paul

Correct the backend cannot be a mdb/accDB. (this would require the windows
networking to go over the internet - too slow).

However, using the back end as SQL server then no problem.
For the iPad in the above software they use web services (not access).
And if you have a web site with SQL server, then you can choose to connect
to the back end SQL server directly say from Access. Or you can build some
web services and connect to that (.net, or how most software for the iPad
works).

So you have several choices here once you place that data into SQL server on
that web site.

.So with a web site + SQL server you can:

Have client desktop software (like Access) connect directly via linked
tables to SQL server (this assumes that your ISP allows this - many do).
Have the client desktop software connect to a web site that exposes web
services.
Have uses go to the web site you build which in turn that web application
connects to that running instance of SQL server.

So you can have all 3 approaches working at the same time - which approach
will depend on what you attempting to do. All 3 of these choices are likely
in play for the above fair show software.

[Albert D. Kallal]

"PW" wrote in message news:hmk1t7hl2jholst5u...@4ax.com...

>>The live demo links to http://sample.fairmanager.com/ which is a
>>website and not Access.
>>
>>Tony
>
>
>Thanks Tony. So they are not linking up their Access desktop app with
>their website?
>
>I suppose that is not possible with Access.

Yes, it is possible and often done.

So they are very likely linking the Access application to the web site data.
Tony was only pointing out the part you linked to was the "web part". For
the most part that system is built and based on Access. However, the web
site part, the iPad options are parts are obviously not.

Such hybrid applications no doubt will become more and more common.

[PW]

On Wed, 06 Jun 2012 22:28:45 -0600, Tony Toews
<tto...@telusplanet.net> wrote:

>On Wed, 06 Jun 2012 12:36:23 -0600, PW
><emailad...@ifIremember.com> wrote:
>
>>These guys have figured it out:
>>http://www.fairsoftware.com/showorksweb.aspx
>
>The live demo links to http://sample.fairmanager.com/ which is a
>website and not Access.
>
>Tony

Another thing they do is a module to export TO Quickbooks, which I can
find no information about or anyone that could do this for us!

Frustrating.

-paulw

[PW]

On Thu, 7 Jun 2012 11:25:37 -0600, "Albert D. Kallal"
<PleaseNOS...@msn.com> wrote:

>"PW" wrote in message news:hmk1t7hl2jholst5u...@4ax.com...
>
>>>The live demo links to http://sample.fairmanager.com/ which is a
>>>website and not Access.
>>>
>>>Tony
>>
>>
>>Thanks Tony. So they are not linking up their Access desktop app with
>>their website?
>>
>>I suppose that is not possible with Access.
>
>Yes, it is possible and often done.
>

I want to learn how to do that!

>So they are very likely linking the Access application to the web site data.
>Tony was only pointing out the part you linked to was the "web part". For
>the most part that system is built and based on Access. However, the web
>site part, the iPad options are parts are obviously not.
>
>Such hybrid applications no doubt will become more and more common.

These too!

-pw

[Albert D. Kallal]

"PW" wrote in message news:eiv1t7l6sehl4qb54...@4ax.com...

>Another thing they do is a module to export TO Quickbooks, which I can
>find no information about or anyone that could do this for us!

There all kinds of info. One could just do a quick books export to csv to
see the format.

You can also use the developer kit here:

https://qbsdk.developer.intuit.com/sdk/qb

>Frustrating.

Not really - it standard and quite common for packages to have a import
routine - the easy way to get the formats are to use the export routines.

And for Simply Accounting it even easier to get at data. Simply Accounting
actually uses the JET engine and the Access database system. The file
extensions are re-named and you have to join the right security group file,
but you can actually read + open Simply Accounting with ms-access since
Simply Accounting uses mdb access format files.

And as the quick books link shows, most do have some type of SDK available,
but often you don't need the developers kit. As noted, for one client I
imported the chart of accounts directly from Simply Accounting right into
Access - If recall the tricky party was figuring out which file was the
workgroup file - but I knew it was going to be a small file and the
extension had a "w" it if if memory serves me correct.

[PW]

It has to be Quickbooks and it also has to be FROM Access and INTO
Quickbooks, not Access. Nobody seems to understand this.

My application only tracks some income, no expenses.

Thanks,

-paulw

[Tony Toews]

On Thu, 07 Jun 2012 10:14:01 -0600, PW
<emailad...@ifIremember.com> wrote:

>Thanks Tony. So they are not linking up their Access desktop app with
>their website?

That depends on the definition of website. If you mean via http, ftp
or standard network shared folders then no. But if they have SQL
Server, Oracle, MySQL or similar database server running on their
webserver then it's quite possible to, as Albert states, to run a
hybrid app.

[Tony Toews]

On Thu, 07 Jun 2012 13:18:35 -0600, PW
<emailad...@ifIremember.com> wrote:

>Another thing they do is a module to export TO Quickbooks, which I can
>find no information about or anyone that could do this for us!

I looked into that about 12 or 14 years ago. I was very unhappy at the
time with what QB allowed. The file had to be in a very specific
format which wasn't documented that well. You could also easily
reimport the data twice and QB would happily create two sets of
invoices with the same invoice number. <shudder>

I have a vague memory of other oddities, such as some transactions
would import but not others. But that was a few databases ago.

All my import routines have always checked to see if the data being
imported already exists. And the import goes into a holding file
where data is verified along with subtotals. Then once everything is
clean and verified then you click another button and the data is
imported.

Hopefully it's a much better "experience" now.

But I have no idea how things work these days.

[PW]

On Thu, 07 Jun 2012 23:43:15 -0600, Tony Toews
<tto...@telusplanet.net> wrote:

>On Thu, 07 Jun 2012 13:18:35 -0600, PW
><emailad...@ifIremember.com> wrote:
>
>>Another thing they do is a module to export TO Quickbooks, which I can
>>find no information about or anyone that could do this for us!
>
>I looked into that about 12 or 14 years ago. I was very unhappy at the
>time with what QB allowed. The file had to be in a very specific
>format which wasn't documented that well. You could also easily
>reimport the data twice and QB would happily create two sets of
>invoices with the same invoice number. <shudder>
>
>I have a vague memory of other oddities, such as some transactions
>would import but not others. But that was a few databases ago.
>
>All my import routines have always checked to see if the data being
>imported already exists. And the import goes into a holding file
>where data is verified along with subtotals. Then once everything is
>clean and verified then you click another button and the data is
>imported.
>
>Hopefully it's a much better "experience" now.
>
>But I have no idea how things work these days.
>
>Tony

I don't know how ShoWorks got it done, but most my clients and
inquires keep asking about a Quickbooks interface (which I can not
figure out how to do or find someone that does). We do have a report
that sorts entries into QB classes and it works great. But it takes
about 5 minutes for the user to enter into QB which I guess is too
long for most people.

-paul

[Patrick Finucane]

On Jun 7, 9:25 pm, PW <emailaddyin...@ifIremember.com> wrote:
> On Thu, 7 Jun 2012 13:36:22 -0600, "Albert D. Kallal"
>
>
>
>
>

> <PleaseNOSpamkal...@msn.com> wrote:
> >"PW"  wrote in messagenews:eiv1t7l6sehl4qb54...@4ax.com...

> -paulw- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Maybe something at this link would be useful.
http://marketplace.intuit.com/v2/f-data-synchronization/software-solutions.aspx

Transaction Pro Importer 5.0 in the above list costs $199. It might
be what you need.

[PW]

Holy Cow Patrick! This looks too good to be true!

Thanks! I am researching it right now!

-paulw

[PW]

On Fri, 8 Jun 2012 12:46:48 -0700 (PDT), Patrick Finucane
<patrickf...@gmail.com> wrote:

Not sure if it will do this, but we don't need to be "customer based".
Each client record doesn't need to be in Quickbooks (Joe Smith,
Patrick F, Larry L,...). We just need one record/entry for our
software in Quickbooks. "Our App Income June 2012".

Thanks!

-paulw

[Patrick Finucane]

> >http://marketplace.intuit.com/v2/f-data-synchronization/software-solu...

>
> >Transaction Pro Importer 5.0 in the above list costs $199.  It might
> >be what you need.
>
> Holy Cow Patrick!  This looks too good to be true!
>
> Thanks! I am researching it right now!
>

> -paulw- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

I hope it works. The free trials will help you make a decision.