Stand Alone Application

[neilscaplan]

I have recently completed writing a database in Access 2003 using VBA. It is now being used in anger by a local business and seems to be behaving itself!

My question is how can I turn this into a stand alone application that I could sell? I can't do that at the moment because the user would need to have Access installed on their machine.

I realised I would probably have to re-write and learn a new language, but I am prepared to do so. So what would you write it in, and where would you buy the development software from?

Any advice would be gratefully received?

[Hack]

You could still use Access even though the customer didn't have it installed.

If you put a VB.NET front end on your database, all of the manipulations could be done through that thus eliminating the need for Access on the customer machine.

VB.NET 2008 Express can be download, from free, from Microsoft's web site so development software cost would also be eliminated.

[neilscaplan]

You could still use Access even though the customer didn't have it installed.

If you put a VB.NET front end on your database, all of the manipulations could be done through that thus eliminating the need for Access on the customer machine.

VB.NET 2008 Express can be download, from free, from Microsoft's web site so development software cost would also be eliminated.

Cheers for that. I'll try downloading tonight. I may need help working out how I go about adding a vb.net front end though...

[neilscaplan]

OK. Forgive my ignorance, but when I looked at the download screen it gives the following options.

Visual Basic 2008 Express Edition
Visual C# 2008 Express Edition
Visual Web Developer 2008 Express Edition
Visual C++ 2008 Express Edition

Which do I need? Or should I go for all of them?

[si_the_geek]

Microsoft have for some reason stopped putting .Net in the name, and now just call it "Visual Basic" (which is very confusing to a lot of people - as there are several non .Net versions too).

You only need the first one.

[Hack]

The third one, by the way, is ASP.NET

[Shaggy Hiker]

While this is the way to go if you are looking at future development, the VBA syntax is effectively the same as the syntax for VB6, which would mean a much shorter learning curve. On the other hand, finding VB6 might get a bit tricky, since it is about four generations out of date by this time.

VB.NET is a similar syntax, and a newer, more versatile language, but VBA it's not, so you can expect a steeper learning curve. Of course, if you ever want to do more than just this one app, then it is a learning curve worth following rather than trying to find a copy of VB6 to work with, as .NET is the future.

[neilscaplan]

Cheers all. I have downloaded Visual Basic 2008 Express Edition and for good measure I went for Visual C# 2008 Express Edition as well.

My plan is to "convert" this app into the former to start with and when I am used to the format of the software, and then to completely re-write it in C# just for something to do!

I had a look around once the software had installed, and (as you probably expect) struggled to make any kind of start, although I didn't spend all that long on it, there was TV to watch! Any tips on how to make a start on "converting" said database would be very welcome.

[Hack]

I don't see the need to convert that Database.

You should be able to slap a VB.NET (or C#) frontend on your existing database.

[Shaggy Hiker]

Ya, when you worked in VBA, you felt like you were working in the database itself. That really just depends on your mental model of the situation, though, and not on the reality. The reality is that your database is really nothing but a bunch of fairly unspectacular files on your computer. Access is a front-end program that displays and manipulates those files. VBA is a language that allows you to highly customize things in Access. By writing a stand-alone front end, you are replacing the roll that Access plays in managing and manipulating the underlying database files. Technically, you could re-write all of the features of Access, though why you'd want to is a different issue. Your goal is to write a program that doesn't rely on any part of Access to manage the file (the MDB file). This may make it sound like a big task, but it actually isn't. You've already written forms, and they will look the same in .NET as they did in VBA. You already know the code that goes behind the controls...mostly, the syntax will be different in .NET. Between those two, you have covered the biggest part. Directly dealing with the database, which means using the classes and objects in System.Data.OleDB, in this case, will be the major challenge for you, and it isn't a particularly tough challenge in the grand scheme of things.

First, you need a connection to the database, so look at the OleDBConnection object (I might have the name a bit off), or maybe look at the connection wizard, or whatever that is called.

That's a start.

[Hack]

First, you need a connection to the database, so look at the OleDBConnection object (I might have the name a bit off), or maybe look at the connection wizard, or whatever that is called.

With all due respects to you sir, and wizards everywhere, the best thing for establishing a database connection is to, when the term "wizard" is bantered about, conjure up images of an amusing cartoon creature as you are going through our Database FAQ section.

[RobDog888]

This FAQ in particular is good for learning how to connect to your database.

http://vbforums.com/showthread.php?t=466658

Just watch out as in Access there are functions and features that are not available in either VB 6 or .NET languages.

[Shaggy Hiker]

With all due respects to you sir, and wizards everywhere, the best thing for establishing a database connection is to, when the term "wizard" is bantered about, conjure up images of an amusing cartoon creature as you are going through our Database FAQ section.

With all due respects to you sir, while that sentence, monstrosity that it is, may well be properly grammatical in construction, and while it may well be suitably correct, it is still an abomination to read.

Guess I haven't been to the FAQ section, though. There be dragons...and droppins....and dragin and droppins....and maybe even dragons droppins.

[Hack]

Well, the bottom line is I just don't gut no respect for wizards less en I'm the one writin' em.

[Shaggy Hiker]

Actually, neither do I, which is why I wasn't sure if there even was one. I write my own DB classes, and haven't used some of the automated things built into .NET 2005, but it occured to me that the OP might want to.

[RobDog888]

A little off topic but ... I do believe that depending on any of the "wizards" is detremental to your programmiing skills. You soon forget how to manually modify or manipulate the underlying code or if you are just learning and using wizards you never learn whats going on behind the scenes so when it comes time to modify it via code you are completely lost.

"Wizards are Evil"

[Shaggy Hiker]

Well, Gandalf wasn't so bad.

I never liked using Wizards, but I felt that in 2005, MS was pushing people to doing Wizard like things with data sources or whatever that was. Didn't like it.

[Jenner]

The biggest problem I encountered when translating a VBA Access "program" to Visual Basic was with the reports. The charting and graphing features in Access are very nice and were the hardest thing to duplicate in my VB6 program.

Crystal Reports at the time was a completely independent package with a high price tag and the charting in it stunk. With it coming in the Pro version of VB.NET though, I'd assume things are much easier; though the charting still stinks.

[RobDog888]

In .NET CR is stil the same crappy program it has always been and will be.