Advice wanted on creating a DB

[vbnewbie2001]

Hello all ! I am new to programming. I am at the start of my first project (it has not made it off the paper yet).

I am using VB 5 Prof. What I want to do is create a stand alone DB that I can distibute. On the recomendation of SAMS Teach Yourself VB 5.0, I have decided to go the route of a Random Access File for storing the data. Unfortunatly for me, by doing that the DB might not be able to do exactly what I want it to do. It will need to store URLs and email addresss which the user can store, then later open the record and click on the URL or Address to be taken directly to the site or open Outlook. Can I do this in a flat file ( one with the .DAT extension)?

I would much prefer to create an Access 2000 and then be able to include that file with the application at runtime. However my application assumes that the users do not have MS Access. Is there a way around this?

Last but not least, I realize that these two questions probably address more than one would care to elaborate on in a thread on a BBS. If this is the case could someone recommend some books or Web Sites that I could look into, plus any of your thoughts on other ways to accomplish this DB. I am looking for the most practical way, not the easiest way. I am open to all suggestions.

Many Thanks in advance,
Norman Bauer

 

[sunaj]

Hi,

I see no problem using either of the systems you mention. The text file system would be simple to make and maintain, but you will of course get more functionality by using an relational database (e.g. access).
There is (in theory) no problems in using an access database as back end for your system, even if the user don't have Access installed. Just use a deployment wizard when making your setup package and the wizard will include the necessary dlls to run the database.
Sunaj
'The gap between theory and practice is not as wide in theory as it is in practice'

 

[vbnewbie2001]

Thanks for the advice Sunaj.

Norm

 

[reddragon105]

Hi,
you are doing exactly what i have to do for my computing project at college - i decided to stick with a text based database system using .dat files as it has all the functions i need, i haven't finished it yet but over the last 2 weeks i have got a lot done and its already quite functional.

the book i would definitely recommend is: 'Computing Projects In Visual Basic' by Derek Christopher, available for £9.95 from amazon.co.uk here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos...8/sr=8-1/ref=sr_aps_b_1_1/026-0506264-0994848

it helped me quite a lot, but i also learned from several different books - go to your local book store and look through them for what you want, remember it for when you go home so you dont have to buy the books, lol, also check websites like this, visualbasicforum.com is good

hope this has all helped!
Paul