Microsoft Access is a relational database management system from Microsoft, packaged with Microsoft Office Professional which combines the Jet relational database engine with a graphical interface intended to make it possible for relatively unskilled programmers and non-programmer "power users" to build front ends to databases. For skilled developers and data architects, it can allow for the rapid development of applications.
Access is widely used by small businesses and hobby programmers to create ad hoc customized systems for handling small tasks. Its ease of use and powerful design tools give the non-professional programmer a lot of power for little effort. However, this ease of use can be misleading. This sort of developer is often an office worker with little or no training in application or data design. Because Access makes it possible even for such developers to create usable systems, many are misled into thinking that the tool itself is limited to such applications.
Some professional application developers use Access for rapid application development, especially for the creation of prototypes and standalone applications that serve as tools for on-the-road salesmen. Access does not scale well if data access is via a network, so applications that are used by more than a handful of people tend to rely on a Client-Server based solution such as Oracle, DB2, Microsoft SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MySQL or MaxDB. However, an Access "front end" (the forms, reports, queries and VB code) can be used against a host of database backends, including Access itself, SQL Server, Oracle, and any other ODBC-compliant product. This approach allows the developer to move a matured application's data to a more powerful server without sacrificing the development already in place.
Many developers who use Microsoft Access use the Leszynski Naming Convention, though this is not universal; it is a programming convention, not a DBMS-enforced rule.
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Mark Hallenberg
2008-10-22 03:02:09
#1
1)Our Rotary club has been compiling data in Access for tracking member info. The intent is to provide forms for print (directory) & web (private member only info -- which would be behind a password protected login page). Each form is intended to reveal 12-15 fields from 20+ queries.
2)Problem MDB files are being blocked by some firewall or other software device. Most of our members do not have Access on their computers. I our office we have XP & Vista - some with and some without Access - none of which will read the file. Do not know about OS/MAC responses.
3) Question: Are we making 'best use' of this program in light of above? Do we all (100+) members need to open or unblock an aspect of entity blocking MDB files? Is Access over kill for our needs?
4) It would be nice to have a "search" and "sort" features within our 'member section' to quickly categorize or group members according to various input fields.
5) A interim "webmaster" I've discovered two parties working separately to accomplish the two different goals (print directory & member data); first in Excel, latter in Access.
Please offer direction.
Thanks
mohit
2010-01-19 01:54:28
#2
How do I make database files (*.mdb) password protected?
