Use vb app to make changes to a database uploaded on website

[techspark]

hi,
I need to make a vb6 program which stores,searches and modifies customer data in the database. The problem is that the database needs to be uploaded on the internet. e.g www.xyz.com/database.mdb

I would like to know is this possible with ms access ? I havent used anything other than access as backend so far, so can this b possible with access.

The problem is that there is no alternative but to upload the database on interent. I will be installing the vb6 program on 2 computers. The other computer is a city away and internet is the only way they can be connected. The changes to the databases needs to be made from both these computers.

If access is not possible, i m happy to adopt any other database like mysql or other if that is more suited.

I look forward to your suggestions. Thanks !

[DeadlyMan]

no way

but u can program it with mysql in php

[techspark]

thanx for the reply.

I need to use vb6 as the front end needs to be a desktop app. Isnt there any way ??

Cant i js change the connection string to web address using adodc in vb ??

Or can sql server help in someway...i have no issues in learning it, i just dont know where to start

Thanx.

[dilettante]

Directly connecting to a database over the Internet is always a serious security risk. Don't do it. You can't do it with Jet, SQLite, etc. anyway since they are embedded file-based databases.

You can write and consume Web Services or you can look into RDS, which is old but works just fine. In either case you'll have to rewrite your application some to use a disconnected model of data access.

Another possibility would be SQL Azure, which can be used with a recent SQL Server Native OLEDB Provider (though this is not supported). That's a little bit bleeding edge though.


None of these will perform like a local database. You can't expect them to, so you need to graduate to another way of programming that doesn't hit the database so frequently or do large transfers. There is no quick fix to go from a monolithic application to an Internet client/server application.

[techspark]

^^
thanx for the detailed reply. Very much appreciated.

I havent started coding my app yet. I want to be sure that the method that i adopt will work

I have ample time to learn a new way/method to do this So what would be your best suggestion to start with ?

I m also open on developing the front end in a different software or using .net but i want the application to be a strictly desktop based app that can read and write data to a database which is hosted on a server.

Also, the database file inst too complex either, it just has one table and few fields.

Also, the number of users asscioted with the database are only 2. Will i still see performance related issues despite having such low requirements ??

I checked rds, but what do you mean its not supported. Do you mean to say the app wont work in newer version of windows ??

[dilettante]

I checked rds, but what do you mean its not supported. Do you mean to say the app wont work in newer version of windows ??

That's the threat, but I don't take it too seriously myself. But RDS is complex to set up anymore, newer Windows versions disable a lot of pieces of it by default. Most cheap hosting providers won't allow its use anyway.


Using a disconnected data access architecture means you need some code at the server. In any case there is little information I can direct you to on this for VB6, it's an advanced topic and thus very few people ever published anything about it besides old Microsoft articles about RDS.

There is better built-in support for this in .Net but even there very few programmers understand and use it - at least ones who are members here.


You're sort of stuck unless you're willing to put in a lot of study time. A shortcut might be to create some kind of jury rigged Web Service but a lot depends on what sort of server you have: "uploaded on de interweb" doesn't tell us much.

There is always the connect directly to SQL Server, MySQL, etc. option which isn't recommended too. Few cheap hosts allow that either.


If I had my Amazon SimpleDB ActiveX API ready I'd point you to that. Might be ideal for your needs, and Amazon offers it free up to a certain database size and activity level.

No matter what you use though you have to be careful about your database interactions or performance over the 'Net will kill you.

[si_the_geek]

Thread moved to 'Database Development' forum (the 'VB6' forum is only meant for questions which don't fit in more specific forums)


dilettante has explained most of the important points already, but you will probably find it useful to read the article How to connect to a database on the internet from our Database Development FAQs/Tutorials (at the top of this forum), which includes links to C# based code for web services.

[dilettante]

I keep hoping somebody will jump in and say "aha, but you have entirely missed this fantastic and easy to use option..."

[techspark]

That's the threat, but I don't take it too seriously myself. But RDS is complex to set up anymore, newer Windows versions disable a lot of pieces of it by default. Most cheap hosting providers won't allow its use anyway.


Using a disconnected data access architecture means you need some code at the server. In any case there is little information I can direct you to on this for VB6, it's an advanced topic and thus very few people ever published anything about it besides old Microsoft articles about RDS.

There is better built-in support for this in .Net but even there very few programmers understand and use it - at least ones who are members here.


You're sort of stuck unless you're willing to put in a lot of study time. A shortcut might be to create some kind of jury rigged Web Service but a lot depends on what sort of server you have: "uploaded on de interweb" doesn't tell us much.

There is always the connect directly to SQL Server, MySQL, etc. option which isn't recommended too. Few cheap hosts allow that either.


If I had my Amazon SimpleDB ActiveX API ready I'd point you to that. Might be ideal for your needs, and Amazon offers it free up to a certain database size and activity level.

No matter what you use though you have to be careful about your database interactions or performance over the 'Net will kill you.

hi, sorry for the delay in response.

The database needs to be added to a website. I m doing this project for a client and the client has his own website. We will create a separate url for the database and he will provide me CPanel to the website. I have been behind him for more details but right now he isn't available. But all i m sure is that there is no alternative other than using internet(WWW).

The exact scenario is like this. The client has its warehouse in a different city and they want the ability to update stocks to the software from that city. Can you suggest a better way of doing this ??

After surfing many sites, i see this should be easy with sql server. Is it true. I dont think security is all that an issue, but i want the speed to be good. The software shouldn't lag or get stuck while connecting to the database. Again, the number of users associated with the database is only 2 and the database has only one table. Is there still a chance that things wont work well ??

Last, what are the more specific details abt the internet(Server) that i need to know, please list them for me and i will ask the client. I have never dealt with an online database in my applications so far. So i still need to learn a lot

Thanks...all the replies will be appreicated.

[techspark]

http://www.sourcecodester.com/visual...se-vb-app.html

can any1 tell me if this method will work ??

[si_the_geek]

It seems like it will, but based on what has been written there it doesn't seem like it will be perfect - but for your situation it should be adequate.