Database Technology Question

I'm wondering if there is a better technology than Access. I know the answer is yes, but I'm meaning in situation.

Where I work I have to use what is given to me or use something that doesn't need to be installed.

Access is a given. Been doing some research as well as reading on here. Access is just plain slow and would like something faster. My program shouldn't used by more than 1 at a time, so I don't need anything heavy duty.

I read about SQL Server CE and that it doesn't need to be installed, but it needs DLL files. I would rather not have to put them on the server. I would only like my exe and the database file (if any) to be in the directory on the server. Basically would it be possible to put the DLL files into my exe and use it from there or there any other technology that I can use that is better than Access?

When you install your app, what is the issue with installing a couple of other files to the same directory? It is no more complex than a copy paste of 1 folder instead of copy and paste of 1 file for CE, nothing is registered, just copied (read private install part). In order to use access you need a driver, which with odbc/access already installed makes your job easier, but it still had to be there, the same as the sql engine has to be there the same as oracle, the same as SQL CE. Trying to avoid the problem will not make it go away, to connect to a database, you need the right database drivers/software installed.

I'm not installing my application. I'm just copying the exe file. I don't have admin privileges. The least amount of files, the better. The files are stored on the network, so multiple users have access to it, and they would quesiton me as to why I needed so many DLL files (7 of them from SQL CE).

Things in common: Office 2007, .Net 3.5.

Use *.dbf file as database.
And there will be no need to include any other files,except your exe file and *.dbf(database) file and maybe maximum just one dll/ocx file.

Or you can firstly install ADO control on that machine(s) and only after deploy exe file, that's it.

And here is link,how to read from dbf using ADO:
http://www.developerfusion.com/threa...ing-ado-howto/

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Originally Posted by TrickyNick

I'm not installing my application. I'm just copying the exe file. I don't have admin privileges.

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Did you read the link?

Quote:

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Private file–based deployment refers to the process of including the required SQL Server Compact 3.5 DLLs as files in the project (as opposed to a reference to DLLs already on the target computer). If you include the necessary DLLs with the application, the requirement to install SQL Server Compact 3.5 is removed. Therefore, the administrative credentials are no longer needed.

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SQL CE is really much less powerful than ACCESS - in the way you can write queries and such. It's meant more to be more of a data storage vehicle.

Taking SQL CE out, are there any databases that would be better than Access, be quicker & faster that wouldn't need to be installed?

And to answer Grimfort: No didn't read the link I actually missed it when i first saw your post, I appologize, going to read it now. To the 2nd part of your post, yes, but they say to copy the files to the directory which I'd not like to do and have to answer why I had to have so many DLLs. Would rather those DLLs be stored inside my exe.