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Using Access as a Front End

If you're planning to use Access as a front end to other databases, you need to consider a few issues. In fact, the whole design methodology of your system will differ depending on whether you plan to store your data in an Access database or on a back-end database server.

In a system where you store your data solely in Access tables, the Access Database Engine supplies all data retrieval and management functions and handles security, data validation, and enforcement of referential integrity.

In a system where Access acts as a front end to client/server data, the server handles the data management functions. It's responsible for retrieving, protecting, and updating data on the back-end database server. In this scenario, the local copy of Access is responsible only for sending requests and getting either data or pointers to data back from the database server. If you’re creating an application in which Access acts as a front end, capitalizing on the strengths of both Access and the server can be a challenging endeavor.

Factors You Need to Worry About When Converting to Client/Server

The transition to client/server technology isn't always a smooth one. You need to consider the following factors if you're developing a client/server application or planning to eventually move your application from an Access database to a back-end structured query language (SQL) database server:

1. Not every back-end database supports all field types that Access supports.

2. The upsizing process will not convert any security you set up in Access to your back-end database.

3. You will have to re-establish many of the validation rules you set up in Access on the back end.

4. Not all back ends support referential integrity. Depending on the database that you are upsizing to, the upsizing process might not automatically set up the referential integrity that you established in Access.

5. Queries involving joins that could be updated in Access can't always be updated on the back-end server.

This list is just an overview of what you need to think about when moving an application from an Access database with linked tables to a back-end server or when developing an application specifically for a back end. Many of these issues have far-reaching implications. For example, if you set up validation rules and validation text in your application, you will often need to rewrite the rules as triggers on the back end. If the user violates a validation rule that you set up on the back end, you will get a returnable error code. You have to respond to this code by using error handling in your application, displaying the appropriate message to your user. You can’t use the Validation Text property with your client/server databases.

This material orginally appeared in Alison Balter's book Mastering Microsoft Office Access 2007 Development. Reprinted here by author's permission.

When you need a Microsoft Access programmer for your Milwaukee Wisconsin business, phone call MS Access Solutions at (323) 285-0939. We have over 25 years experience in Microsoft Access programmer solutions. We create Access database applications for all sectors, consisting of hospitals, government companies, the U.S. military, universities, agriculture, workers services, and insurance provider. We can take care of the most advanced as well as complicated Access and also SQL Server database programming for your business as well as smaller projects, like fixing damaged Access database forms, MS Access reports, Access macros, and VBA code.

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