Re: What database shall I use???

> <snip>
> > although Access still
> > can be used for a "front-end" for a SQL Server or Oracle database,
which
> > IMHO is far to "buggy" for this purpose and there are better
alternatives.
>
> Can you describe some of the (apparently many) bugs encountered when
> using Access as a Front-End to a SQL Server database?

No, perhaps I should have been clearer, my experience is using it with an Oracle database, which *should* be the same as it is still accessing linked tables. Some of the problems with it when connected to Oracle? Suddenly incorrectly interpreting date formats when importing in to a native access table for unknown reasons, suddenly missing columns of data in reports, dropping ODBC connections for no apparent reason, missing some data on reports that show up in the corresponding and identical SQL query, etc....

  What is/are the
> alternative(s) you are proposing and why?
>

Powerbuilder, VB, Oracle Portal, etc.

I'm sure that there *may* be valid reasons for the above problems, and I admit I am no "expert" per se when it comes to heavy-duty access programming, but at least two Access programmers we have on contract are just as mystified as I am with some of the problems we run in to, and our app's that were built in Powerbuilder never have any of these "unexpected" issues pop up.

I still like Access if I need to throw something together with just a few tables and need some slick looking forms/graphs/pop-ups for a front end, often in a matter of hours an applet can be built to meet the needs. But for proper error handling, data security, auditing etc. for a "mission-critical" database, you need something like Oracle or SQL Server IMO. And my experience with it as a front end is anything but positive, so my views are tainted there. Received on Wed Mar 06 2002 - 09:32:01 CST