Access front end for sql server

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  • Gwindor

    Access front end for sql server

    I have been doing programming in Access for about 10 years. I am now
    being asked to make an Access front end for data that is stored in SQL
    Server.

    My impression is that the only way to do this is to use a .adp
    application, rather than an .mdb file. Is that correct?

    Is it possible to use DAO or ADO with .adp objects?

    Also, is there a good manual on making access front ends for SQL
    server data?

    Gwindor
  • Tom van Stiphout

    #2
    Re: Access front end for sql server

    On Sat, 28 Jun 2008 10:52:40 -0400, Gwindor <gwindor@verizo n.net>
    wrote:

    No, you can also create an ODBC connection to the SQL Server and stay
    within the familiar MDB environment.
    It appears MSFT is phasing out support for ADP.

    -Tom.

    >I have been doing programming in Access for about 10 years. I am now
    >being asked to make an Access front end for data that is stored in SQL
    >Server.
    >
    >My impression is that the only way to do this is to use a .adp
    >application, rather than an .mdb file. Is that correct?
    >
    >Is it possible to use DAO or ADO with .adp objects?
    >
    >Also, is there a good manual on making access front ends for SQL
    >server data?
    >
    >Gwindor

    Comment

    • Albert D. Kallal

      #3
      Re: Access front end for sql server

      "Gwindor" <gwindor@verizo n.netwrote in message
      news:3mjc645ivo vma77da5lpse3js 0ke4un2hl@4ax.c om...
      >I have been doing programming in Access for about 10 years. I am now
      being asked to make an Access front end for data that is stored in SQL
      Server.
      >
      My impression is that the only way to do this is to use a .adp
      application, rather than an .mdb file. Is that correct?
      No, hopefully, if you been using ms-access, then you been splitting your
      databases for years?

      >
      Is it possible to use DAO or ADO with .adp objects?
      When you go ADP, you can't use DAO, it all ADO by default. And, ADP projects
      are ONLY for sql server. if you use linked tables, then you can use just
      about any database server.

      For this reason, for existing applications, we tend to prefer using linked
      tables. Those tables can be linked to your back end (mdb), or linked to sql
      server. When you do this linking, most, if not all of your code and
      application sill simply function as before.

      This means that you can develop the application, then split it. make sure it
      works, and then upgrade the back end to sql server, and then link the front
      end to that.

      Here is some links that should be of use:



      ACC2000: "Access 2000 Upsizing Tools" White Paper Available in Download
      Center
      Microsoft Support is here to help you with Microsoft products. Find how-to articles, videos, and training for Microsoft Copilot, Microsoft 365, Windows 11, Surface, and more.


      ACC2002: "Access 2002 Upsizing Tools" White Paper Available in Download
      Center
      Microsoft Support is here to help you with Microsoft products. Find how-to articles, videos, and training for Microsoft Copilot, Microsoft 365, Windows 11, Surface, and more.


      ACC2000: Optimizing for Client/Server Performance (odbc)
      Microsoft Support is here to help you with Microsoft products. Find how-to articles, videos, and training for Microsoft Copilot, Microsoft 365, Windows 11, Surface, and more.


      ACC: "Upsizing to Microsoft SQL Server" White Paper Available in Download
      Center (a95, and a97)
      Microsoft Support is here to help you with Microsoft products. Find how-to articles, videos, and training for Microsoft Copilot, Microsoft 365, Windows 11, Surface, and more.


      HOW TO: Convert an Access Database to SQL Server (a97,a2000)
      Microsoft Support is here to help you with Microsoft products. Find how-to articles, videos, and training for Microsoft Copilot, Microsoft 365, Windows 11, Surface, and more.


      ACC: Choosing Database Tools White Paper Available in Download Cente

      The Choose.exe file contains a document called "Choosing the Right Database
      Tools" that discusses Microsoft's database products: Microsoft Access,
      Microsoft FoxPro, Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Visual Basic, and Open
      Database Connectivity (ODBC). Use this document to decide which database
      tool is right for you.

      Microsoft Support is here to help you with Microsoft products. Find how-to articles, videos, and training for Microsoft Copilot, Microsoft 365, Windows 11, Surface, and more.


      ACC: Tips for Optimizing Queries on Attached SQL Tables
      Microsoft Support is here to help you with Microsoft products. Find how-to articles, videos, and training for Microsoft Copilot, Microsoft 365, Windows 11, Surface, and more.




      --
      Albert D. Kallal (Access MVP)
      Edmonton, Alberta Canada
      pleaseNOOSpamKa llal@msn.com


      Comment

      • Tony Toews [MVP]

        #4
        Re: Access front end for sql server

        Tom van Stiphout <no.spam.tom774 4@cox.netwrote:
        >It appears MSFT is phasing out support for ADP.
        MSFT certainly haven't made any enhancements to ADPs for the last few versions.

        Tony
        --
        Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
        Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
        read the entire thread of messages.
        Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at

        Tony's Microsoft Access Blog - http://msmvps.com/blogs/access/

        Comment

        • Gwindor

          #5
          Re: Access front end for sql server

          Thanks. ODBC works fine for me. At least, it works fine if I can
          make the connection.

          I have tried a few different tricks to create a connection, but the
          connection fails. Could this be because I am working with Access 2003
          and my sql server is SQL Server Express 2005?

          (My client has a full SQL Server copy at his location, but here at my
          office on my PC I am dealing with SQL Express 2005.)

          Gwindor



          On Sat, 28 Jun 2008 08:22:35 -0700, Tom van Stiphout
          <no.spam.tom774 4@cox.netwrote:
          >On Sat, 28 Jun 2008 10:52:40 -0400, Gwindor <gwindor@verizo n.net>
          >wrote:
          >
          >No, you can also create an ODBC connection to the SQL Server and stay
          >within the familiar MDB environment.
          >It appears MSFT is phasing out support for ADP.
          >
          >-Tom.
          >
          >
          >>I have been doing programming in Access for about 10 years. I am now
          >>being asked to make an Access front end for data that is stored in SQL
          >>Server.
          >>
          >>My impression is that the only way to do this is to use a .adp
          >>application , rather than an .mdb file. Is that correct?
          >>
          >>Is it possible to use DAO or ADO with .adp objects?
          >>
          >>Also, is there a good manual on making access front ends for SQL
          >>server data?
          >>
          >>Gwindor

          Comment

          • Tom van Stiphout

            #6
            Re: Access front end for sql server

            On Sat, 28 Jun 2008 14:22:15 -0400, Gwindor <gwindor@verizo n.net>
            wrote:

            No.
            Likely a permissions issue. Are you getting any error messages?
            Compare your connectionstrin g with those posted at
            All connection strings in one place. Find the syntax for your database connection using ADO.NET, ADO, ODBC, OLEDB, C#, VB, VB.NET, ASP.NET and more.


            -Tom.

            >Thanks. ODBC works fine for me. At least, it works fine if I can
            >make the connection.
            >
            >I have tried a few different tricks to create a connection, but the
            >connection fails. Could this be because I am working with Access 2003
            >and my sql server is SQL Server Express 2005?
            >
            >(My client has a full SQL Server copy at his location, but here at my
            >office on my PC I am dealing with SQL Express 2005.)
            >
            >Gwindor
            >
            >
            >
            >On Sat, 28 Jun 2008 08:22:35 -0700, Tom van Stiphout
            ><no.spam.tom77 44@cox.netwrote :
            >
            >>On Sat, 28 Jun 2008 10:52:40 -0400, Gwindor <gwindor@verizo n.net>
            >>wrote:
            >>
            >>No, you can also create an ODBC connection to the SQL Server and stay
            >>within the familiar MDB environment.
            >>It appears MSFT is phasing out support for ADP.
            >>
            >>-Tom.
            >>
            >>
            >>>I have been doing programming in Access for about 10 years. I am now
            >>>being asked to make an Access front end for data that is stored in SQL
            >>>Server.
            >>>
            >>>My impression is that the only way to do this is to use a .adp
            >>>applicatio n, rather than an .mdb file. Is that correct?
            >>>
            >>>Is it possible to use DAO or ADO with .adp objects?
            >>>
            >>>Also, is there a good manual on making access front ends for SQL
            >>>server data?
            >>>
            >>>Gwindor

            Comment

            • lyle fairfield

              #7
              Re: Access front end for sql server

              That's just like my dates with redheads. Of course, I don't have any,
              which is to say they work fine for me except they don't work at all.

              On Jun 28, 2:22 pm, Gwindor <gwin...@verizo n.netwrote:
              Thanks.  ODBC works fine for me.  At least, it works fine if I can
              make the connection.

              Comment

              • lyle fairfield

                #8
                Re: Access front end for sql server

                How unfamiliar could an ADP environment be?

                Will form design be different? I don't think so.
                Will report design be different? Not in my experience.
                How about code? Well, we use ADO rather than DAO. Is this tough? Given
                that ADO has an extensive and easily accessed object model with
                numerous examples, while the secrets of DAO are hidden among the tombs
                of MVP ancestors I can't understand how it could be. How difficult is
                it to type "Find" rather than "FindFirst" anyway? C'mon now; hands up
                those who knew that we can use the ` (lower case tilde) in place of
                square brackets in JET sql?
                Well what will be different? QUERY DESIGN! We'll be able to design our
                queries and views in T-SQL; if Jet SQL and T-SQL were in the hockey
                business JET MIGHT get to carry T-SQL's skates into the arena and wash
                his jock-strap after the game, but T-SQL would be the big handsome guy
                on the ice scoring all the goals.
                But what about Access's interactive Query Wizard. Won't we miss it?
                C'mon! Is this a PIG or is Oink a Conservative Election Slogan? Should
                you miss it you can download the superb and free SQL Server Mangement
                SQL Express utility and see how things can work in the real Database
                world. Did I mention UDFs? And linked servers? Sure we can use these
                with OBDC but is there any encouragement to do so?
                Oh, Oh, Local tables. Gonna get me with Local Tables right? Well, of
                course you can save any recordset, locally, in ADTG or XML format and
                access it with a simple open command.
                If I were writing this in response to most, Tom, I would say, I can do
                more with an ADP than with an MDB, and I can do more with an MDB than
                you can. But since I'm responding to you, I'll just say I can do a lot
                with an MDB, and even more with an ADP.

                On Jun 28, 11:22 am, Tom van Stiphout <no.spam.tom7.. .@cox.netwrote:
                On Sat, 28 Jun 2008 10:52:40 -0400, Gwindor <gwin...@verizo n.net>
                wrote:
                >
                No, you can also create an ODBC connection to the SQL Server and stay
                within the familiar MDB environment.
                It appears MSFT is phasing out support for ADP.
                >
                -Tom.
                >
                I have been doing programming in Access for about 10 years.  I am now
                being asked to make an Access front end for data that is stored in SQL
                Server.
                >
                My impression is that the only way to do this is to use a .adp
                application, rather than an .mdb file.  Is that correct?
                >
                Is it possible to use DAO or ADO with .adp objects?
                >
                Also, is there a good manual on making access front ends for SQL
                server data?
                >
                Gwindor

                Comment

                • lyle fairfield

                  #9
                  Re: Access front end for sql server

                  I think this is not correct, For instance, Access 2003 ADPs allow
                  setting an ADO recordset as a report's recordset. Access 2002 ADPs,
                  (nor any MDBs, TTBOMK) does not have this capability.

                  The general notion among MDB aficionados that ADPs are separate but
                  equal is prompted, IMO, by the those aficionados' lack of ADP
                  experience. ADPs are superior creatures in many ways.

                  On Jun 28, 1:04 pm, "Tony Toews [MVP]" <tto...@teluspl anet.netwrote:
                  Tom van Stiphout <no.spam.tom7.. .@cox.netwrote:
                  >
                  It appears MSFT is phasing out support for ADP.
                  >
                  MSFT certainly haven't made any enhancements to ADPs for the last few versions.

                  Comment

                  • Tom van Stiphout

                    #10
                    Re: Access front end for sql server

                    On Sat, 28 Jun 2008 17:57:29 -0700 (PDT), lyle fairfield
                    <lyle.fairfield @gmail.comwrote :

                    Try running an ADP in the A2007 runtime, and you'll see that MSFT's
                    support is dwindling. I haven't tried it yet after SP1 came out, but
                    out of the chute it was HORRIBLE.
                    I was an afficionado for a long time, and we have built several large
                    ADP-based apps for our clients, but I have had to reconsider that
                    position.

                    -Tom.

                    >I think this is not correct, For instance, Access 2003 ADPs allow
                    >setting an ADO recordset as a report's recordset. Access 2002 ADPs,
                    >(nor any MDBs, TTBOMK) does not have this capability.
                    >
                    >The general notion among MDB aficionados that ADPs are separate but
                    >equal is prompted, IMO, by the those aficionados' lack of ADP
                    >experience. ADPs are superior creatures in many ways.
                    >
                    >On Jun 28, 1:04 pm, "Tony Toews [MVP]" <tto...@teluspl anet.netwrote:
                    >Tom van Stiphout <no.spam.tom7.. .@cox.netwrote:
                    >>
                    >It appears MSFT is phasing out support for ADP.
                    >>
                    >MSFT certainly haven't made any enhancements to ADPs for the last few versions.

                    Comment

                    • Larry Linson

                      #11
                      Re: Access front end for sql server

                      "lyle fairfield" <lyle.fairfield @gmail.comwrote
                      I think this is not correct, For instance, Access 2003
                      ADPs allow setting an ADO recordset as a report's
                      recordset. Access 2002 ADPs, (nor any MDBs,
                      TTBOMK) does not have this capability.
                      As far as I have been able to determine, there were no "enhancemen ts" to ADP
                      in Access 2007, though there were some "make it work" changes.
                      The general notion among MDB aficionados that
                      ADPs are separate but equal is prompted, IMO, by
                      the those aficionados' lack of ADP experience.
                      ADPs are superior creatures in many ways.
                      I would have to defer to Lyle's obviously-more-extensive experience with
                      ADP, but my meager experience with ADP only indicated that using it was not
                      as onerous as some have thought, but I could see no compelling advantage in
                      the (relatively straightforward ) processing that was done in that
                      application.

                      ADO may, as Lyle has stated, have a "simpler object model", but all the same
                      information is required... it's just that some of it is being provided in a
                      different way. I'm sure it it good to have "choice" in how you do things,
                      but the fact that ADO has several ways to accomplish most operations will
                      mean a learning curve for even accomplished programmers whose previous
                      experience with Access has only included DAO.

                      My view may be affected by the fact that the design and implementation of
                      the ADP application I was engaged to modify was atrocious, but with the same
                      author, I admit that it would likely have been equally atrocious if it had
                      been an MDB using DAO. From the programming style, I would guess the person
                      was a "refugee from VB", not at all familiar with database.

                      The client, however, was adamant that there be no changes other than the
                      functional enhancements they had identified, because the function was to be
                      included in the enterprise requirement planning ERP system they were
                      implementing, in "just a matter of a few months" and they just wanted to
                      nurse the Access / SQL Server app along until it the ERP system was ready.

                      I was not hired to advise on the ERP project, so I didn't. However, the
                      follow-up is: I know my colleague on that project was still doing minor
                      changes to the Access application over two years later, so I have to guess
                      the "few months" stretched a little. That's a lot better than many ERP
                      projects, which soak up resources for years before being cancelled and
                      abandoned.

                      Larry



                      Comment

                      • susheel kumar

                        #12
                        Re: Access front end for sql server



                        how to create backend in sqlserver and frontend access


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