Upgrading local MS Access to the Internet

[dan2bhm]

I know this is VERY general question and don't expect someone to list ever
step for me. I'm looking for some suggestions on which steps to take. Let me
explain my Database first...

Multiple Tables (some are actually linked as a SharePoint List)
Multiple Queries (select, append, update, delete...etc all sorts of essential
queries)
Multiple Forms (all have VB code which perform different tasks when the user
clicks a "button")
Multiple Modules (performing all sorts of automation: Linking to Excel,
PowerPoint, Word, Outlook)

The Database was designed to perform a variety of "behind the scene"
functions so that it could be used by the lowest technically proficient
people. So maintaining a clean and professional GUI is of the utmost
importance. Additionally, I don't want to lose the thousands of lines of VB
in th process. I realize that transforming this into a different platform
will create a LOT of work to reestablish the overall operation/functionality
that it currently provides.

What I need is suggestions on useful articles or step by step suggestions to
put this beast on the internet.

Meaning, should I create a SQL server to hold the tables, queries, modules.
Then use HTML to create new "forms" and link everything back together? What
about .NET? I don't know much about the .NET technology, but I'm a quick
learner and would LOVE to develop skills with that language.

I sincerely appreciate any guidance that you GURUs can provide. All
suggestions are welcome.

 

[Amy Blankenship]

Module code doesn't work when called from outside Access, so the only thing
you CAN use is your tables & potentially your queries depending on whether
or not they depend on functions that can't be used from outside Access.

This is where I started with ASP development
http://webmonkey.wired.com/webmonke...htmlt?meta=/webmonkey/99/13/index0a_meta.html

HTH;

Amy

 

[Duane Hookom]

Go to .net if you want to create a similar interface for the internet. Plan
on spending a fair amount of time getting up to speed.

 

[david epsom dot com dot au]

Most of your VB actions can be ported over to VBScript,
but what are you going to do about the PowerPoint and
Word Stuff? Do you want PowerPoint and Word on the internet
as well?

If all you want to do is put the application up on the net,
consider using Terminal Services. You can create a login
that takes you straight to MSACCESS and your database.
All you need is the TS licences.

(david)

 

[dan2bhm via AccessMonster.com]

Thanks for all of the responses so far. We generate a large number of
reports out of this database. But rather than using MS Access reports, I
used VB to copy the data into excel, format the data and perform calculations,
then paste the good stuff into PowerPoint. EVERYONE uses MS Office
applications, and rarely do our reports serve merely as a report. They are
all being briefed to the "Top Dogs."

Word - We generate hundreds of memorandums a day. Because they are all
based on 40 or 50 different templates, I automated the process. Click a
button, and specific words are inserted at each bookmark.

I guess one option would be to have the user download the template files
prior to being able to create these reports and memos. I want the process to
work the same as it does now. When you click a button, MS Excel opens and
using VB, all the data is pasted, formatted properly...etc

I'm not familiar with VBScript but I was hoping someone would mention that.
Can you perform basically the same functions using the same objects?

Most of your VB actions can be ported over to VBScript,
but what are you going to do about the PowerPoint and
Word Stuff? Do you want PowerPoint and Word on the internet
as well?

If all you want to do is put the application up on the net,
consider using Terminal Services. You can create a login
that takes you straight to MSACCESS and your database.
All you need is the TS licences.

(david)

I know this is VERY general question and don't expect someone to list ever
step for me. I'm looking for some suggestions on which steps to take. Let

[quoted text clipped - 34 lines]

I sincerely appreciate any guidance that you GURUs can provide. All
suggestions are welcome.

 

[Amy Blankenship]

Thanks for all of the responses so far. We generate a large number of
reports out of this database. But rather than using MS Access reports, I
used VB to copy the data into excel, format the data and perform
calculations,
then paste the good stuff into PowerPoint. EVERYONE uses MS Office
applications, and rarely do our reports serve merely as a report. They
are
all being briefed to the "Top Dogs."

I think there may be third party web components that do this. You may do
well to ask on a powerpoint forum.

Word - We generate hundreds of memorandums a day. Because they are all
based on 40 or 50 different templates, I automated the process. Click a
button, and specific words are inserted at each bookmark.

This is extremely easy to do with HTML. I have an online newsletter system
that puts essentially the same content into a different shell depending on
how it is being viewed. Keep in mind that once you have the full html of
the e.mail in a string you can send it as a CDOSYS e.mail. The way my
newsletter system works is that I have an HTML template saved as a text file
that has variables in place like {CONTENT} and {CSS}, etc. I then use
VBScript to replace {CSS} with the CSS actually in use on my site at the
instant the mail is published and {CONTENT} with the newsletter content.
The power of CSS gives you amazing control over your look and feel using
little to no markup. There are also third party tools that allow you to
publish to PDF and perhaps word.

I guess one option would be to have the user download the template files
prior to being able to create these reports and memos. I want the process
to
work the same as it does now. When you click a button, MS Excel opens and
using VB, all the data is pasted, formatted properly...etc

That's not likely to work unless oyu build some sort of an executable that
lives on the user's hard drive and then connects to and reads the current
data off the internet.

I'm not familiar with VBScript but I was hoping someone would mention
that.
Can you perform basically the same functions using the same objects?

It's a slightly different flavor of VB. Most things are the same. But
since you don't have forms and reports, obviously you can't access those
objects. But you do get some other objects like FileSystem and Server that
you don't have in VBA.

Bottom line is it's a good bet most of your code won't port because it
probably refers to thins VBScript doesn't have a clue about.

HTH;

Amy

 

[david epsom dot com dot au]

There is only one type in vbscript, so all
of your word and powerpoint objects are just
declared as objects, but yes, comm objects
are the same in VBs and VBa.

But you really want those things to run on
the client, not on the server, which means
using client side scripting.

But that effectively means replacing your
local Access application with a massive
local VBScript application, and it's hard
to see any advantage in that.

For this to make any sense, you need to consider
Web alternatives to Word and PowerPoint.

If all you want to do is share the data,
you can use linked tables, and let users
connect directly to SQL Server.

(david)

Thanks for all of the responses so far. We generate a large number of
reports out of this database. But rather than using MS Access reports, I
used VB to copy the data into excel, format the data and perform
calculations,
then paste the good stuff into PowerPoint. EVERYONE uses MS Office
applications, and rarely do our reports serve merely as a report. They
are
all being briefed to the "Top Dogs."

Word - We generate hundreds of memorandums a day. Because they are all
based on 40 or 50 different templates, I automated the process. Click a
button, and specific words are inserted at each bookmark.

I guess one option would be to have the user download the template files
prior to being able to create these reports and memos. I want the process
to
work the same as it does now. When you click a button, MS Excel opens and
using VB, all the data is pasted, formatted properly...etc

I'm not familiar with VBScript but I was hoping someone would mention
that.
Can you perform basically the same functions using the same objects?

Most of your VB actions can be ported over to VBScript,
but what are you going to do about the PowerPoint and
Word Stuff? Do you want PowerPoint and Word on the internet
as well?

If all you want to do is put the application up on the net,
consider using Terminal Services. You can create a login
that takes you straight to MSACCESS and your database.
All you need is the TS licences.

(david)

I know this is VERY general question and don't expect someone to list
ever
step for me. I'm looking for some suggestions on which steps to take.
Let

[quoted text clipped - 34 lines]

I sincerely appreciate any guidance that you GURUs can provide. All
suggestions are welcome.