Solve : HELP! How to interact a website with Access system?

1.	Solve : HELP! How to interact a website with Access system?
Answer» Hi We usually learn how to use Access to build a system with relational database, but how can we build a website that can interact with the system we've built? The question is something like this: I need to collect data from the website I've created, so that when people enter any orders or questions through the e-forms, the data will be automatically transferred and stored in tables that I have created using Access. The whole database is stored in my computer and I also have a static IP address. What things that I have to know and learn to build this kind of system? What books or any other references can I refer to in order to build my desired system? Any Professional help will be so much appreciated. Cheers!Well, for one thing, I'm sure you need to put the database on the web server, and that is confirmed by this reference: http://support.alentus.com/msaccess.aspx Might be some more helpful sources in this search: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=using+Access+as+website+database&btnG=Google+SearchYou can serve the database from any database server, but the problem is your starting point. MS Access is a good way of getting a simple database up and running, and it can help you to create a good front end, very easily, but as a back end, it is hopeless, especially for multi-user systems. You would be better off migrating your data to a real database server like MySQL (free), PostgresSQL (free), Oracle (not free), Sybase (not free), etc. You could install a MySQL server on your home PC for example, and your website could connect to it using PHP, ASP, etc, to pick up the data. I can help with the MySQL + PHP side of things, if that's the way you choose to go. Incidentally, Access can happily talk to MySQL databases, so you can keep your Access front end and just migrate the data to MySQL.Rob, just in case any forum readers not well versed in this stuff are wondering, I thought I'd ask a question or two. Isn't the "database server" is, in many cases, the same server that serves the main web pages? If he did install a MySQL server on his home PC, would that result in slower performance for website visitors than having MySQL installed on the hosting service's server? And, since many hosting services offer MySQL at no extra charge, I believe, to their clients/customers, what are the advantages and disadvantages of installing MySQL on his home PC vs. using MySQL from his hosting service's server? And, finally, to add backend database functionality to a website, some PHP, ASP, etc. programming is needed regardless of whether the database resides on a home PC or on the main web server, right? Good questions! Quote Isn't the "database server" is, in many cases, the same server that serves the main web pages? It completely depends. It is generally good practice to keep your database server, file server and web server separate; they access hardware in different ways and have very different requirements. A MySQL-based database server needs loads of physical memory - disk space requirements are modest. A file server needs rapid drive interfaces, PREFERABLY large RAID arrays, modest RAM and processor requirements. A web server needs large hard drives and a good processor; memory requirements depend largely on loading. Quote If he did install a MySQL server on his home PC, would that result in slower performance for website visitors than having MySQL installed on the hosting service's server? It depends on various factors, including the above. One factor will be the quantity of data retrieved in any one web transaction. The ideal situation is to have database server and web server within the same LAN. Quote And, since many hosting services offer MySQL at no extra charge, I believe, to their clients/customers, what are the advantages and disadvantages of installing MySQL on his home PC vs. using MySQL from his hosting service's server? IF MySQL is available at the web host end, then that's the place for the database, for sure. The only advantage of having it at home is control/security. Quote And, finally, to add backend database functionality to a website, some PHP, ASP, etc. programming is needed regardless of whether the database resides on a home PC or on the main web server, right? Correct, and the same would be true if the OP were using Access, although Access does include some WIZARDS for writing web-based front ends. The trouble is that those front ends are unlikely to run satisfactorily on the OP's web host.Thank you very much for your helps! Especially Rob's explanations make me realise the use of scripting languages such as PHP. When "web server" appeared in your explanations, I started to realised the neccessary of Apache. And finally I found a "perfect match" of the "3 in 1" (That is PHP, MySQL and Apache) that can help me to build such system. At LEAST they are all free in most circumstances. Basically I am just a student who wants to build this kind of system with my only PC at home. I STILL not quite sure the logic behind how they can integrate within a SINGLE PC and how can I set up in order to experience building such system for my self pace study purposes. If you professional can explain a little bit more, that will will so kind of you. Thank you very muchGoogle for "WAMP" - Windows, Apache, MySQL, PHP. You'll find some simple all-in-one installations that will be perfect for your needs. Good luck.

Answer»

Hi

We usually learn how to use Access to build a system with relational database, but how can we build a website that can interact with the system we've built? The question is something like this:

I need to collect data from the website I've created, so that when people enter any orders or questions through the e-forms, the data will be automatically transferred and stored in tables that I have created using Access. The whole database is stored in my computer and I also have a static IP address.

What things that I have to know and learn to build this kind of system? What books or any other references can I refer to in order to build my desired system?

Any Professional help will be so much appreciated.

Cheers!Well, for one thing, I'm sure you need to put the database on the web server, and that is confirmed by this reference: http://support.alentus.com/msaccess.aspx

Might be some more helpful sources in this search: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=using+Access+as+website+database&btnG=Google+SearchYou can serve the database from any database server, but the problem is your starting point. MS Access is a good way of getting a simple database up and running, and it can help you to create a good front end, very easily, but as a back end, it is hopeless, especially for multi-user systems.

You would be better off migrating your data to a real database server like MySQL (free), PostgresSQL (free), Oracle (not free), Sybase (not free), etc. You could install a MySQL server on your home PC for example, and your website could connect to it using PHP, ASP, etc, to pick up the data.

I can help with the MySQL + PHP side of things, if that's the way you choose to go.

Incidentally, Access can happily talk to MySQL databases, so you can keep your Access front end and just migrate the data to MySQL.Rob, just in case any forum readers not well versed in this stuff are wondering, I thought I'd ask a question or two.

Isn't the "database server" is, in many cases, the same server that serves the main web pages?

If he did install a MySQL server on his home PC, would that result in slower performance for website visitors than having MySQL installed on the hosting service's server? And, since many hosting services offer MySQL at no extra charge, I believe, to their clients/customers, what are the advantages and disadvantages of installing MySQL on his home PC vs. using MySQL from his hosting service's server?

And, finally, to add backend database functionality to a website, some PHP, ASP, etc. programming is needed regardless of whether the database resides on a home PC or on the main web server, right?
Good questions!

Quote

Isn't the "database server" is, in many cases, the same server that serves the main web pages?

It completely depends. It is generally good practice to keep your database server, file server and web server separate; they access hardware in different ways and have very different requirements. A MySQL-based database server needs loads of physical memory - disk space requirements are modest. A file server needs rapid drive interfaces, PREFERABLY large RAID arrays, modest RAM and processor requirements. A web server needs large hard drives and a good processor; memory requirements depend largely on loading.

Quote

If he did install a MySQL server on his home PC, would that result in slower performance for website visitors than having MySQL installed on the hosting service's server?

It depends on various factors, including the above. One factor will be the quantity of data retrieved in any one web transaction. The ideal situation is to have database server and web server within the same LAN.

Quote

And, since many hosting services offer MySQL at no extra charge, I believe, to their clients/customers, what are the advantages and disadvantages of installing MySQL on his home PC vs. using MySQL from his hosting service's server?

IF MySQL is available at the web host end, then that's the place for the database, for sure. The only advantage of having it at home is control/security.

Quote

And, finally, to add backend database functionality to a website, some PHP, ASP, etc. programming is needed regardless of whether the database resides on a home PC or on the main web server, right?

Correct, and the same would be true if the OP were using Access, although Access does include some WIZARDS for writing web-based front ends. The trouble is that those front ends are unlikely to run satisfactorily on the OP's web host.Thank you very much for your helps! Especially Rob's explanations make me realise the use of scripting languages such as PHP. When "web server" appeared in your explanations, I started to realised the neccessary of Apache. And finally I found a "perfect match" of the "3 in 1" (That is PHP, MySQL and Apache) that can help me to build such system. At LEAST they are all free in most circumstances.

Basically I am just a student who wants to build this kind of system with my only PC at home. I STILL not quite sure the logic behind how they can integrate within a SINGLE PC and how can I set up in order to experience building such system for my self pace study purposes. If you professional can explain a little bit more, that will will so kind of you.

Thank you very muchGoogle for "WAMP" - Windows, Apache, MySQL, PHP. You'll find some simple all-in-one installations that will be perfect for your needs.

Good luck.

Solve : HELP! How to interact a website with Access system?

Discussion

No Comment Found

Related InterviewSolutions

Reply to Comment