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Which is best Front End ?

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Manish M

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Mar 27, 2000, 3:00:00 AM3/27/00
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Hi fellows,

I have a client whose app needs to be rebuilt (a small-medium size app).

We are at an initial phase of our designing. We want to have an SQL server
(say MS-SQL server) backend.

But Which is a good front end development environment for SQL Server.

How is Access or VB or any other suggestions. I have heard a lot that Access
& VB are slow.

Our hardware resources are limited, typically P3-450 Mhz based work
stations, & Dual P3/256-MB RAM server.

We are looking for some fast development environment, easy maintenance and
good run-time speed performance (since our hardware is pretty average).

Any feedback appreciated.

Manish M


David May

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Mar 27, 2000, 3:00:00 AM3/27/00
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Manish

I've never used Access as a front end to SQL, but I have used VB and
have never had a problem with performance (well under a second for
complete customer/related product item retrieval in a 2gb+ database
on a PII client with worse spec server to yours)

VB is MUCH more flexible in meeting your business requirements due
to the extra number of controls it has. (or at least VB5 over Access 97)

The things to consider for performance are how you design the database
tables
and stored procedures paying particular attention to your indexes and
how
they match your procedures (i.e. your WHERE clauses).
Also ensuring the network setup is correct as
this can have a BIG impact. If you get this right the front end
environment shouldn't matter to much.

Hope this helps.

David

Gene

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Mar 28, 2000, 3:00:00 AM3/28/00
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I recently converted an application which used Access95 as the front-end to
MS SQL Server to one using Delphi4 as the front-end to the same database on
MS SQL Server. The Delphi front-end is more responsive to user tasks--more
so than the original Access front-end(which I also wrote) and more
responsive that some test procedures I wrote with VB. However, that is with
client front-end PC's which are slow Pentium 100Mhz machines.

However, P3 450 Mhz workstations as front-ends are what I consider
relatively heavy duty fast workstations. As such, I doubt whether it would
make much difference to the user whether the front end is in Access, VB, or
Delphi.

Good luck.
Gene

Manish M wrote in message ...

Joe "Nuke Me Xemu" Foster

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Mar 28, 2000, 3:00:00 AM3/28/00
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"Thomas Dauria" <tda...@bu.edu> wrote in message news:8brtr8$siq$4...@news3.bu.edu...

> If "I've never used Access" then how is "VB much more flexible"????

Using code to interact with the database (VB's Data Control is *crap*) is
much more flexible, but unless you've got lots of pre-written code ready
for reuse, using VB will also take much more time. However, Access is much
better at reporting.

Of course, if your DB uses lots of many-many relations and/or subtables,
you'll have trouble using Access' data-bound forms anyway.

--
Joe Foster <mailto:jfo...@ricochet.net> Space Cooties! <http://www.xenu.net/>
WARNING: I cannot be held responsible for the above They're coming to
because my cats have apparently learned to type. take me away, ha ha!

Thomas Dauria

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Mar 29, 2000, 3:00:00 AM3/29/00
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If "I've never used Access" then how is "VB much more flexible"????

David May <ma...@logica.com> wrote:

: I've never used Access as a front end to SQL, but I have used VB and

: VB is MUCH more flexible in meeting your business requirements due

Thomas Dauria

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Mar 29, 2000, 3:00:00 AM3/29/00
to
What would be the difference... and why are you using so many different
front ends??? I would use VB because I don't have to pay for a copy of
Access on every workstation. I don't know why you would use something
like Delphi... here today gone tomorrow!

Gene <ge...@mindspring.com> wrote:
: I recently converted an application which used Access95 as the front-end to

: Good luck.
: Gene

:>
:>
:>
:>
:>

Johan van Zyl

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Mar 29, 2000, 3:00:00 AM3/29/00
to
Take a serious,serious look at Clarion.
http://www.topspeed.com
http://www.jvz.co.za/mssql
http://www.capesoft.com
and many more!
Regards
Johan van Zyl - Somerset West South Africa
jo...@jvz.co.za
Clarion 5ee, FM2, SecWin
Pastel Accounting
Customised Software

Johan van Zyl

unread,
Mar 30, 2000, 3:00:00 AM3/30/00
to
from http://clarionmssql.listbot.com
also see http://www.jvz.co.za/mssql

"manish,

clarion v5b with SQLServer 7 is my weapon of choice. SQLServer7 is a
powerhouse that doesn't need much in system or dba resources -
especially at
a small client site - i've got 14 installations of a cw/sqlserver7 app
and
no phone calls for support on the db side.

regards,
-pratik"


On Mon, 27 Mar 2000 03:24:37 -0500, "Manish M" <mmg...@netcom.ca>
wrote:

>Hi fellows,
>
>I have a client whose app needs to be rebuilt (a small-medium size app).
>
>We are at an initial phase of our designing. We want to have an SQL server
>(say MS-SQL server) backend.
>
>But Which is a good front end development environment for SQL Server.
>
>How is Access or VB or any other suggestions. I have heard a lot that Access
>& VB are slow.
>
>Our hardware resources are limited, typically P3-450 Mhz based work
>stations, & Dual P3/256-MB RAM server.
>
>We are looking for some fast development environment, easy maintenance and
>good run-time speed performance (since our hardware is pretty average).
>
>Any feedback appreciated.
>
>Manish M
>
>
>
>
>

Johan van Zyl - Somerset West South Africa

Johan van Zyl

unread,
Mar 30, 2000, 3:00:00 AM3/30/00
to
From http://clarionmsql.listbot.com
also see http://www.jvz.co.za/mssql

"oops. right church wrong pew as they say...

clarion 5 (www.topspeed.com) is a real sweet language, the ide may
lack
'cause it's still 16-bit but the results are tremendous w/o a steep
learning
curve.

pros:
- the exe's are free to distribute royalty-free
- the exe's are small and the fastest - near c performance
- handles mutliple file systems natively + odbc
- create 16-bit / 32-bit / web (ver 5.5) ALL from the same source code
- app maintenance is super easy
- data-centric development... define you data dictionary, the more
effort
expended here results in a superior app and ease of development
- extensive 3rd party tools available
- user supported news groups provide excellent support
- templates allow for reduced dev-time, they provide *power* in as
much
repetative code can be made in to a template - simply drop it on your
window
under the underlying code is magically there

cons:
- reporting facility lacks when compared to rest of product
- little corporate presence due to lack of marketing effort
- no COM
- VBX/OCX is a little struggle but it works"

regards,
-pratik

Johan van Zyl

unread,
Mar 30, 2000, 3:00:00 AM3/30/00
to
Hi
also
http://web.winco.net/~tomruby/turnpike/
and
http://clarionmag.com
Regards
On Wed, 29 Mar 2000 21:07:41 GMT, jo...@jvz.co.za (Johan van Zyl)
wrote:

>Take a serious,serious look at Clarion.
>http://www.topspeed.com
>http://www.jvz.co.za/mssql
>http://www.capesoft.com
>and many more!
>Regards

Wayne Sheppard

unread,
Mar 31, 2000, 3:00:00 AM3/31/00
to

"Thomas Dauria" <tda...@bu.edu> wrote in message
news:8brtvn$siq$5...@news3.bu.edu...

> I would use VB because I don't have to pay for a copy of
> Access on every workstation.

You can distribute the Access Runtime freely IIRC.

Brian King

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Apr 3, 2000, 3:00:00 AM4/3/00
to
Manish,

If you have a copy of MS Windows 2000 Professional Unleashed, install the
free eval of dynaSight by arcplan. It is the only front-end software that
was chosen to be put in this publication. From my understanding, many
others tried.

Very easy to build, Much much more powerful than VB. There is no
maintenance for your users as it is true thin client.

Your architecture is fine for this, and in my multiple tests, it ran faster
than VB or any other solution.

This is the slickest solution out there. MS backoffice certified as well.
The company arcplan has been around for eleven years and heavily funded. No
fears of it going belly up.

Brian

"Manish M" <mmg...@netcom.ca> wrote in message
news:CWED4.17288$Xk2....@tor-nn1.netcom.ca...

Brian King

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Apr 5, 2000, 3:00:00 AM4/5/00
to
dynaSight by arcplan....hands down

Brian King

unread,
Apr 5, 2000, 3:00:00 AM4/5/00
to
dynaSight by arcplan should be at the top of your list. No code, no script
and the most flexible and least expensive option.
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