Standalone VB Database Application

[no1biscuit]

I have a customer that wants to have laptops collect data and produce reports. During this process there are no Internet and/or network connections. So I am looking at developing it in VB.net and/or VB6 (Some win 98 machines so I am leaning toward VB6). What do you all suggest for the back end Database? Also, I will only be providing an install disk and not actually installing the software on anyone’s laptop. Thus my install program must configure the database automatically. To add another level of difficulty, he does not want Access as the backend database.

Thanks in Advance
Thom

 

[mych]

Does the customer say why he does not want Access as the backend?

I assume that you will need to be able to pool all the data off these individual laptops to a central db at some point. Is this a db that already exist or will you be creating this too.

Will the data go one way. IE from laptop to cental store or will the laptops be updated with the collated data from central stores?

A little mor information will help suggest a suitable solution.

 

[dilettante]

The issue could be as simple as a misunderstanding that one needs to license Access (or Office) to have an application use an "Access database."

If the needs are simple enough there is always the option of just using VB random files too.

Another option might be to use FoxPro as the local datastore (Microsoft OLE DB Provider for Visual FoxPro 8.0) but that's about the same as "using Access."

More information is needed. For all we know now persisting disconnected ADO Recordsets might fill the bill.

 

[no1biscuit]

The customer does not want an Access backend. Don't ask me why , I just said, "Sure no problem."

All the individual laptops will end up dumping back to a main server that will store it all. I am not to concerned about that because I will just right something to export the data and then a small app to insert the data at the head end.

The head end server will probably be on MySql due to cost.

I hope this kind of explains the depth of the app.

Thanks
Thom

 

[no1biscuit]

For all we know now persisting disconnected ADO Recordsets might fill the bill? Hmm interesting. Do you have a site that has some info on this?

Thanks
Thom

 

[HarleyQuinn]

Not tried it (or had a good took at it) but perhaps the new SQL Server Express??

http://lab.msdn.microsoft.com/express/sql/

Harleyquinn

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[no1biscuit]

I downloaded it this morning (2000 version). It may be the best solution. I was also thinking XML.. But that is why I am asking the experts.....

Thanks
Thom

 

[Sheco]

I made an app like this four years ago with XML. It was a college recruiting deal where they sent people to do on-campus interviews. The app they carried on the laptop was a candidate evaluation form and then, when they came back to the office, they would upload the file to an intranet site where it was merged into a database.

Some of the recruiters were hiring managers and some were not. Most of the hiring managers were not themselves recruiters.

Anyway, the recruiters could use either the web site or the standalone app to edit the evaluation forms and the hiring managers could run reports against the aggregate data to find candidates for their openings.

I used XML mainly because it was a buzzword at the time and anything with XML was good. Heh. The data collected on the laptops didnt really need to be in a database itself... it just needed to be stored in a way that would be easy to load into the common database. If I had to do it over again I might use a persisted recordset or just a text file... now that people don't get stars in their eyes at the mere mention of XML.

Maybe if i called it XML.NET ...

/smirk

 

[ZmrAbdulla]

If it is only collecting data and no relations-complication then you could use text/ini files as back end. so simple and light weight. Excel sheets too.

Zameer Abdulla
_{Jack of Visual Basic Programming, Master in Dining & Sleeping}
Visit Me

 

[no1biscuit]

I need to have some relationship for reporting (on the laptop). Thus I don't think a text file will suffice. I am however not writing out anything at this point.

The data collected at one time would be like 2-4 Tables 300 rows with 6-10 columns.

Just an fyi: You guys are awesome.
Thanks
Thom

 

[fredericofonseca]

The fact that your customer does not wan't Access as backend does not necessarly mean that you can not use the ODBC/OLEDB driver to create and manipulate a ".mdb" file.

No licenses issues with it.

Regards

Frederico Fonseca
SysSoft Integrated Ltd

http://www.syssoft-int.com