MS Access or VB with mysql?

[Prathmesh]

Hi All.
Currently my organization is undergoing restructuring of existing databases. Previously, certain applications were made using FoxPro and other applications were using MS Access. What i am planning to do is migrate everything to mysql, using it as backend. Now my problem is regarding the Front End? Which application to use? Visual Basic or MS Access? What would be more advantageous in terms of performance and future support and consume less time for modifications? I tried to search online but really could not find anything to justify any particular choice. Can anybody plz suggest some idea here or give some reference, which will help me finalize the decision regarding the appropriate front end. Any sort of comparision between MS Access and VB as a front end would help tremendously.

Thank u all in advance for all your time and efforts.

Cheers:
Prathmesh

 

[cyoung]

MySQL is the right way to go as far as your DBMS.

As far as front-end, why limit yourself. You can use VB or Access if you are staying in a Win32 environment, but I would really reccomend that you look into Perl or PHP and Apache to make a really responsive application that will run on just about anything that has a browser. By going with this route, you will not have to worry about future versions of Windows, or a new OS in your organization not being able to run the app.

Hope this helps!

 

[sleipnir214]

It really depends on the application you're writing and how it should work.

The operative question is not "Should I use Access or VB as my MySQL frontend?", but rather "Which of Access or VB is better-suited to my application?"





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[LittleSmudge]

I'm currently using A2k extensively as a Front End to mySQL.

However, one of the reasons for that is because the jump from Access Back End to MySQL was one that the organisation was willing to take on. The leap to Apache and PHP at the same time was a giant stride too far.

If you have no 'baggage' to contend with then consider your skills ( or the availability of skills ) in front end development. Can you go to PHP & Aphache ? Can you manage VB6 ? Is there a lot of good front end design work already done in Access that you can copy over ?

All options are available to you. Which will be the best will depend on local conditions.


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[sleipnir214]

The only thing that I can think of that would be a tie-breaker between Access and VB is the Access facility for performing pass-through queries. Pass-through queries greatly enhance performance manipulating data in SQL-based database servers.

I cannot state for a fact, however, whether this is a tie-breaker or not. I simply do not know whether VB supports also the pass-through query or a cognate.



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[Prathmesh]

Hi All,
Tks for the reply. Sleipnir, I did some research and found that VB can do the same thing as well. You can send a string across to mysql, whihc will contain the sql query, and that query will be processed on mysql side. So VB does have support of "pass-through" query (I dont know what it's called for VB). Currently we dont have web access to our database, and it is not being planned for the near future also, so no point in going with PHP and Apache. Actually this was my first suggestion when I started here, but due to the fact that web access is not going to be there in future, the suggestion was was not accepted. And so that is why I decided either MS Access or VB. If you have any ohter strong points about any of these, plz do tell, they might help me make a better decision regarding the FE. Tks to all.

Cheers:
Prathmesh

 

[BNPMike]

Prathmesh

I hope one day your local government officer comes around and says "We're standardising on round houses. We're going to knock yours down and re-build it - circular. It'll be nice but here's the rub: you're going to pay for the lot"

Because that's what you're doing to your business users. You're spending time messing about with perfectly adequate technology (Foxpro and Access) when you could be spending time creating something new of business benefit to them.

Don't feel guilty however. Ninety percent of the world's developers do exactly the same thing...

 

[Prathmesh]

BNPMike,
Thanks for your comments. However, when you say "adequate technology" (foxpro and Access), I think you need to have a close look. Yes they are adequate but not all the places. Constantly growing database will eventually lead problems with Access and FoxPro. That is what I am facing here. Huge amounts of data taking lot of time to access records in Access, reports taking time to generate because of huge amounts of data. I dont know what your idea of "business benefit" is, but I believe that if something gives u a problem, either u fix it or come up with a new solution. And Access is not designed to be an Enterprise Level DB. and that is what my company needs. Hence that is the reason I am going with mysql, because it is constantly being developed and hopefully for at least next 5-7 years, I wont need to do any work on that aspect. As regards the FE, both Access and VB have their benefits, but I want to know their disadvantages and whose benefits are more. If you can help me out with that, I would really appreciate it more rather than beating about the bush.

 

[BNPMike]

Prathmesh

Sorry to have a go at you. I just get so frustrated with people treating IT as a technical pastime rather than something that does something for someone. I reviewed the old mainframe systems of a world leading company several years ago and recommended they keep their current steam-driven systems which were class-leading in terms of customer response and value for money. They were taken over and the new owners tried to put in SAP. It caused such disruption that the share price collapsed and the company was sold off to some nobodys. Such a waste.

Access sticks out as you already have applications and product knowledge. Connecting existing applications to MySQL would minimise re-work. Having said that, MS SQL Server is much more obvious if a little more expensive.

My concern about Access is Microsoft have currently gone supersonic in their techology churn. They have gone mad on XML, XPath and .NET. They are already dropping some support for Jet. I wonder where this is going to leave Access.

So if you must have a new strategy then VB would be safer than Access. However, as others have said, you might want to jump of the mad Microsoft roundabout and go with Java or open-source.

 

[LittleSmudge]

MS SQL Server is much more obvious if a little more expensive.

That's GOT to be the under statement of the week!







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