VFP programmer .... take job using Access ?

[csr]

I am an experienced VFP programmer who has come up through Basic, Pascal, Clipper, Dbase, ... to VFP.

I have an opportunity to take on a job which requires strictly Access programming.

I am calling for the advice of professional VFP programmers out there who have also worked in ACCESS.

Would you think that programming in ACCESS will be relative simple, given my background, or am I asking for trouble to jump into something like this ?



Don

 

[rgbean]

Don,
Having worked in both, I don't think you'll have any problems. You will be pleasantly surprised in some areas, but frustrated in many others with what you can't control.

I just hope that the applications don't have too much data or have too many users - you'll spend most of your time trying to explain why everything is so slow! The biggest complaint I always had from customers, is why I had to rewrite so much code when they decided to change versions of Office/Access, and why they had to upgrade "everyone" at the same time. (Access has changed the database structure with almost every new version, and while there is usually some backward compatibility, it's often Read-only access to the data!)

Rick

 

[Jimgarry]

Im in the same position, be ready to learn VBA and VB. Everything is done in queries. Good luck. its not too bad. but don't forget your roots. Things you do in VFP are much eaiser and faster.

Jim

 

[GriffMG]

I do switch, from time to time, between VFP and Access - once you have a few 'tools' under your belt it's not too bad. It usually takes me about two solid days to be back up to speed for a new Access project - after say six months in my happy VFP world. It might take me an hour to get up to speed enough to fix a bug or make a small mod - after the same period.

As Jim and Rick both said VFP is generally much faster and, again generally, you do have a lot more control. But, and it's quite a big one - the Access Report Designer is streets ahead of VFPs (allowing things like sub reports and so forth) - it only really lacks a 'zoom' mode in the design phase to make it perfect!

Martin

Good Luck

Regards

Griff
Keep [Smile]ing

 

[Mike Lewis]

Don,

This is very subjective. Personally, I had no problems with Access when I first used it some years ago. But now that I am immersed in VFP, I hate having to go back to Access. I find it clumsy, slow and restrictive.

But a job is a job. The answer must depend on how badly you want the work, and how much you enjoy learning new languages and rising to new challenges.

I doubt you'll have any difficulties with Access. The worst that can happen is that you don't enjoy it.

Mike


Mike Lewis
Edinburgh, Scotland

http://www.ml-consult.demon.co.uk

 

[csr]

Very insightful. Thank you all for your comments.



Don

 

[csr]

Oh, one more thing ...

Is there additional software I would need to purchase to produce an ACCESS application or is everything I need right within the ACCESS software I get within the Microsoft Office software ?



Don

 

[Peping]

Don,

Here's an Access site where you can find some faqs and download. Goodluck.

Peping

 

[Peping]

Don,

Here's an Access site

http://www.mvps.org/access/

where you can find some faqs and download. Goodluck.

Peping

 

[Mike Lewis]

Don,

Is there additional software I would need to purchase to produce an ACCESS application

As a developer, you just need Access itself. If I remember right, you need the Developer Edition if you want to distribute your apps to non-Access users (not 100 percent sure that's still the case).

Mike


Mike Lewis
Edinburgh, Scotland

http://www.ml-consult.demon.co.uk