SQL Database -- how to create one?

[WalksWithSky]

Hello:

Need to make the jump from Access to SQL and don't have a clue as to where to start. Anyone know what I have to buy to create SQL database for a web application?

Walks With Sky

 

[jrbarnett]

It's quite obvious you don't have much of a clue about Access. What is "View SQL" option on query design if not SQL?
A modern relational database without SQL is rather like a car without an engine - it won't go very far.
The Access QBE designer automatically generates SQL in the background, but there are many queries that can't be generated by the QBE grid, such as Union's, correlated subqueries etc.

Access uses the Jet SQL engine, which is also used by Visual Basic and a few other applications. Its SQL syntax is quite different to many other databases, so you may need to update the syntax.

If you have Access 2000 or XP, you already have MSDE, which is a cut down version of SQL Server on your office CD-ROM disk.

John

 

[WalksWithSky]

Hey, thanks for the condescending reply, but not exactly what I was looking for. Another forum proved to be much more helpful (withouth the condescension, I might add)

 

[mpastore]

I agree, John's answer was a bit sharp. Walks, your question was a bit vague, Are you jumping to SQL server in order to scale up your database needs? Will you still use MS Access as the front end?

Mike Pastore

Hats off to (Roy) Harper

 

[WalksWithSky]

Yes, sorry if I was vague, but Access can't handle the traffic now -- keeps crashing. Someone suggested SQL, but there are so many products out there, wasn't sure where to start looking. MS Access will still be used as the front end, as well as data entry pages on the website.

Walks With Sky

 

[mpastore]

Ok, I think we are talking SQL server (microsoft database product). You probably want to re-post under "Access Other Topics" forum and phrase the question more in the area of upgrading from MS Access Jet RDBMS to SQL Server. I'm sure plenty of people have experience with this and can give you pointers relative to data conversion issues, application issues, cost, and maintenance concerns.

Good luck



Mike Pastore

Hats off to (Roy) Harper

 

[jrbarnett]

Walkswithsky,

Apologies if my previous post caused offence, but I was merely using your own comment "don't have a clue where to start".

I would assume anybody calling themselves an instructor, especially having been a contributor to a number of forum threads here, would have very basic relational database/SQL knowledge at the very least.

To answer your question more directly though, you can either buy SQL Server (or any other fully fledged relational database) but note you will need Windows NT Server or 2000 server to host it. You could use MySQL or PostgreSQL or any other free relational database engine on a Linux box (mySQL is also available on Windows). You don't have to spend money at all.

John

 

[WalksWithSky]

Thanks all for the help!

Walks With Sky

 

[Quehay]

Superior Software in Australia has a very nice site with a lot of helpful info. You can get a trial version of their Access > SQL migration server migration tool.

The migration process is fairly easy as far as getting tables and data into SQL, but there are some kinks (Access Autonumber ID columns will not be converted into Identity PK columns, which are the SQL analogue).

btw: Your original post, albeit somewhat cryptic, made perfect sense. The metonym "SQL" is a pretty common one for SQL Server.

Cheers

http://www.ssw.com.au/ssw/