Do I need to use a Web Service to hook up An Access Front End to SQLServer?

[R Tanner]

Hi,

Do I need to use WCF to hook up an access front end to a sql server
database? My IT department doesn't allow direct connections to my
machine...

 

[Albert D. Kallal]

Hi,

Do I need to use WCF to hook up an access front end to a sql server
database? My IT department doesn't allow direct connections to my
machine...

No you don't need a web server, nor do you need to use web services to have
ms-access use the data from sql server. You do need permissions, and of
course a network connection to where the sql server is located (and, that
connection can be an IP address).

So, in place of linking your tables to a back end "mdb" (assuming your
application was split), you now simply link those tables in your front end
to sql server....

 

[R Tanner]

No you don't need a web server, nor do you need to use web services to have
ms-access use the data from sql server. You do need permissions, and of
course a network connection to where the sql server is located (and, that
connection can be an IP address).

So, in place of linking your tables to a back end "mdb" (assuming your
application was split), you now simply link those tables in your front end
to sql server....

The database is temporarily on my machine. I think that the network
admins have that type of connection blocked. We tried to set up a web
server an run an asp.net app and we found out that was blocked, so I'm
thinking it's the same issue.

Could it be possible I have to use particular machines assigned by my
IT department or build a web service?

I did try to hook up the front end to sql server some time ago and it
didn't work...It kept giving the user a message stating that a
connection to my machine had failed...

 

[Albert D. Kallal]

Could it be possible I have to use particular machines assigned by my

IT department or build a web service?

It could be possbile. So, if certain types of traffic or ports are blocked,
then that web service, sql server, MSN chat or whatever might simply be
blocked. Does you company use any software system (like an accoutning
system) that is based on sql server now?

I did try to hook up the front end to sql server some time ago and it

didn't work...It kept giving the user a message stating that a
connection to my machine had failed...

Well, then either your setup was incorrect, you did not have correct
permissions to sql server, or perhaps the connection was blocked.

There are several versions of SQL server that is free, so you can download
and install sql server on your machine to try this out.

In many cases you have to distinguish between your "lan" and a "wan". I talk
about ways you can connect your access application to shared data over a
"wan" here:


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


The above aritcle should give you some ideas for conneciton options...