September 25, 2006 at 3:10 pm
Hi
I am working with a SQL Server 2000 database and I need to find out what is the best way for a user (teacher) not experienced with database management to be able to add records to a student database. In MS Access I know that a Data Access page on the web would be the best way to go but the only experience I have in SQL Server is having taken a class. I notice that there is not a “forms” builder in SQL Server and short of creating a form and making it web-accessible I am lost. Are there any nice built-in tools for creating a user interface for adding records? I am experienced in HTML as well as .NET, .ASP and .PHP but I don’t know where to begin in SQL Server.
September 26, 2006 at 9:29 am
Remember that SQL server is a database and it's main job is to store and retrieve data. Access on the other hand is both a database (Stores and Retrieves data), as well as an application front end (easy data manipulation via forms etc). Since you are looking to have users enter data on the web, I'd say the best way to go would be .ASP or .PHP depending on what you're most comfortable with. Just use SQL Server as your backend and a web language as your front end. You really don't want users to mucking about in your db directly.
You'll need to provide an application for them to enter records into the SQL Server.
September 26, 2006 at 9:38 am
Would it be best to create a user form out of HTML (with .ASP or .PHP) or an ADO.NET user form? I know HTML very well and am only a little familiar with .ASP, .PHP and .NET. Thanks for your help.
September 26, 2006 at 9:50 am
The "best" way is a tricky question. If it's somethign that needs to be done like yesterday, you'd probably want to stick with the technology that you are most comfortable with/know the msot about. Otherwise if you want to expiriment with using ASp.Net or PHP try it out and see what you can see. The biggest thing since this will be some sort of school setting is to make sure that you are securing your application properly. Many a school student has tried to hack the teacher's computers.
September 26, 2006 at 9:53 am
Thanks I really appreciate it.
September 26, 2006 at 10:33 pm
If you know .Net that implies that you know a programming language like C# or VB.Net that can easily handle windows desktop applications, including database applications. Look for the "101 VB.Net" sample programs at MS for examples of how to do anything you need.
It just seems like that would be easier than creating an ASP or ASP.Net app, with all the HTML mixed in with the table and form code.
September 27, 2006 at 7:09 am
Were you referring to Microsoft.com for the 101 VB.NET Sample Progs. I don't really "know" VB.NET but I do have a book I am learning from called "Microsoft Visual Basic.NET Step by Step and in the last chapters it gives some examples of how to create a form (the form is there by default when you start a "solution") that can then apply a data adapter (from the Data Toolbox) to be able to update a data set from a database. The only problem is that they use a MS Access Database as an example rather than a SQLServer database. By the way is there any tutorials anywhere that describe how to create a front end in Access to a SQLServer database? That is another avenue I would like to explore.
September 27, 2006 at 7:44 am
You could create an Access Front end for your SQL server, but when you deploy it you'd want to deploy it as a .ADP, that way your users can't make any changes to the application as they would be able to with a normal .mdb file. Here's a link to an article on this site that would get you started using Access Data Projects. http://www.sqlservercentral.com/columnists/kKellenberger/accesstosqlservergettingstartedwithaccessprojects.asp
The biggest gotcha's I've seen using .adps is that you'd be best served by using pass through queries and making and joins or data retrival operations happen on the server. Remember if access needs to join 2 linked tables, it will pull both entire tables down to the desktop, then do the join, the filter the result set. That's why you want to use pass through queries. You can search this site for "Access Pass through queries" for a decent list of articles and discussions on the topic.
September 27, 2006 at 10:25 am
This Part 2 and 3 of the article was invaluable and thank you for the direction.
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