Limits in MS-Access 2003 vs Vista

[XP]

Using Office 2003 and Windows XP;

Please consider these questions to be on a personal use basis as opposed to
commerical use:

1) Is there a good side by side comparison of the practical limits of
MS-Access 2003 versus the Vista version? For example, I know the maximum size
of an MS-Access DB is 2gb and there are many other limits (e.g. number of
objects, etc)...could someone point me to a good web site that contrasts this
info or post a summary? [I would like to look at this for upgrade
considerations]

2) Also, if something just a bit more robust and capable of larger size is
desirable what is a good next step up choice? FoxPro? I've also recently
learned that Oracle is available free for downloading if used on a
non-commercial basis...

Any guidance or opinion on this post is appreciated.

 

[Albert D. Kallal]

Using Office 2003 and Windows XP;

Please consider these questions to be on a personal use basis as opposed
to
commerical use:

1) Is there a good side by side comparison of the practical limits of
MS-Access 2003 versus the Vista version?

There's virtually no change in any of the features when you run an access 97
database on windows vista or run that same will run on windows 95.

The exact same thing applies to access 2003, and there's no changes when you
run it on Windows XP, or run on windows vista.

For example, I know the maximum size
of an MS-Access DB is 2gb and there are many other limits (e.g. number of
objects, etc)

Using Windows XP, or vista does not change the limitations and features of
access 2003 at all.

2) Also, if something just a bit more robust and capable of larger size is
desirable what is a good next step up choice? FoxPro? I've also recently
learned that Oracle is available free for downloading if used on a
non-commercial basis...

One common approach to this is when you outgrow the size of the data for
your MS access application, you simply use of of the many free database
engines like sql server. You then continue to use MS access as your front
end.

Remember when you use a database engine like SQL server, mySQL, oracle etc,
you only have a database engine. You still need a set of tools to build a
form's, reports and the application side with. MS access is not really the
database, but is a set of tools that enables you to build forms, reports
and write code.

MS access enables you to choose one of those other database engines you
speak of. As a general design approach you split your database into two
parts, then when you decide to upgrade the so called back end part to a real
database server, you'll find is whole process a lot easier.

I speak of why you want to split the database into two parts here:

http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKallal/Articles/split/index.htm

It is probably a good idea to think of MS access as a development tool, and
not the actual database. MS access works rather well with oracle for
example.

 

[Linq Adams via AccessMonster.com]

Access even provides a Wizard to help you with upsizing to SQL Server!