Can Access database applications be shared across desktops? - c#

I have created two applications using Visual Studio and C#.
The premise of the applications is for data entry and browsing of the data. However, I have come to the realization that these applications won't work on other devices as the data source is a local Access database. Am i able to somehow share these apps with others without giving them the Access database too? This is a major problem as my boss only wants these apps and not the database to be sent with them too. Or would I have to migrate the database to an SQL server and try to migrate the application as well?
Thank you

TLDR:
Can Access database applications be shared across desktops?
Yes
Am i able to somehow share these apps with others without giving them the Access database too?
Yes
Or would I have to migrate the database to an SQL server and try to migrate the application as well?
Not necessarily
It's a difficult question to answer because the question seems slightly confused
You've created an app or two that enters and shows data in an access database, and now you're asking if the app can be distributed without the Access database
Sure it can; but what then will be the purpose of the the app?
You ask if it could be switched to using sql server instead.
Sure it can, but I'm not really clear on how you think it will help because you then have to install sql server in the customer premises and give them the database. I suppose you could keep the sql server on your premises and they could connect to it, but then you could just as easily create a web service or API that sits in front of your access db and have your programs interact with the API, as a way of keeping databases off the customer premises and then stick with Access (or change it later and not affect the customers because you're providing the same api which a new db).
It's most typical, when having software that customers use and a database that you keep ownership of, to separate them with an api
As an aside, Access is terrible in a multi user configuration where two different apps are trying to use the same db file I've a file share; take any steps you can to avoid using this scenario
Stackoverflow is designed to answer particular kinds of questions and there's a real risk that this question will stray into opinion based territory and become off topic. We can't design your app for you, we can only help with implementation problems but it sounds like you need to sit back and think some more about what you're trying to solve for the problems your customers face, and see if you can get some help regarding the tech stack you should look to implement. If you desire SO to deliver these answers you'll need to ask them in a particular way, essentially having made a set of decisions yourself and be missing some facts that will drive the implementation choices - ask us for the missing facts rather than to make the implementation choices

If all the clients apps are on the same network and can see a central server, then there's no reason you can't use the Access database in the same way you would a SQL Server database, i.e. by placing it somewhere where it can be accessed by all copies of your application. Access isn't the last word in database features or security, but it's perfectly workable.
We normally create a mapped drive on the client PCs to a location on the server, so that everyone can use the same connection string for the database, e.g. T:\yourdatabase.mdb.
If the clients aren't on the same network and you can't use a VPN to connect them then to single network then things will become a lot more difficult, and moving to SQL Server will probably be a lot simpler.
Essentially, if this is an in-house system where the data isn't too sensitive and all the users are members of staff say, then a central Access database can work fine. If this is an app that's being used by people outside your organisation then SQL is a better choice if you want your app to talk directly to the database.
Alternatively you could write an API that you host on a web server, then your client apps can talk to the API and your API can talk to the Access database.

Related

how to connect a C# project with Access database placed on server (NOT local network) to edit and view?

I have some Databases built in Access and I want to be able to view and edit them when I'm not connected to a local server\network.
How can I access with C# to view and edit the Access databases placed on a server without VPN or SMB (which means creating local network). Is it possible to edit it realtime on the server?
This needs to be accessed by more than one people, thus I also want for example block a table if one's already editing it (so here also goes the FTP protocol - to download and edit on the PC and reupload)
I hope I was clear enough and provided enough info, thanks for all helpers!! Enlighten me please :)
We would first have to ask how end users going to run and use the C# program?
Desktop: users would need a network connection to the server. (most likly a VPN).
Web based: users would need a network connection to the WEB SERVER. This could also be a VPN, or could be a web server that is public facing. this would then require logons for security.
If users don't have a network connection, then it not going to matter if this is oracle, MySQL, SQL server or Access. And in fact, if this is web based, then users need to be able to connect to that web server.
So, without some kind of network connection to that server or computer where the data resides, and you eliminated a VPN, then your options are limited.
You can build a web site and place it on a server. However, if users don't have any kind of network connection even in the case of a web site, then I fail to see how you can even suggest using FTP let alone any other kind of connection.
This needs to be accessed by more than one people,
Ok, you need multi-user. However the locking up a whole table on sql server to allow only one user is actually quite difficult.
But, we can leave that you want one user in a given table at one time. (but both Access and a web site would in fact allow multiple users - even editing the same table).
All in all?
Then this suggests the most obvious solution: run a web server, and that would allow any user to connect to the web site, and the web site then can read/talk/use the access database that resides on that server. And this then again means that you don't need any client software installed.
FTP is not a practial solution - since it only works on a whole file.
So, users will require some means to connect to some server. That being the case, then write your C# appliation as web based, and thus no client software will be required, and the only software that interacts with the access file on that server will be the web site.
So, running a web site on that server does seem to be the best option.
So, we heading towards a web solution.
So then software would stay and run 100% on the server side, and thus zero client software would be required other then that of a browser.
I developed a simple Python web server to work with the Access DB via HTTP:
https://github.com/vikilpet/MS-Access-HTTP-Server
Probably this is not an ideal solution for your case but it may be a good starting point.

How to put a database in the project? C#

I have the local database in SQL Server 2014 with four tables volume 1.5 GB. The essence of the program to look for in the database records with the user defines criteria. The program is written and it works fine. We should make sure that the program worked and other users who have not installed the server. How to implement this? Was a idea to serialize the data, but as I understand, it is necessary to deserialize all the data and then look for the right record.
As the comments before me already says i think you have 2 options.
Either ship the database with the client (using Sql Express or other similar solutions). That should work fine and will work without a connection to a centralized server but the size of your client package will be quite big. And if you make any changes it will only be locally, but it seems you only make reads to the database from the client?
But if i understand it correctly you install a sql server for each client, since you mention "users who have not installed the server"? Then you already have the problem with a lot of data needing to be sent out to each client, as well as the problem of updating all databases when the data needs to be refreshed.
Another solution is to allow access to the database from the client. This can work in serveral ways, if all your users is in your doman you can handle authentication based on their domain users and skip the authentication part. Then you would only need to send out the client and skip the installation of a big server and all the data.
If they are not on the domain but still on your network you could add a login on your application to allow access to the database or if you trust all your users you could add a read only account and just hardcode the login for that account.
If you want to access the data outside of a trusted environment you should of course add a separate login for each user to allow access and it might even be a good idea to use an api before the database that handles the requests from the client and then does the search to the database in a controlled manner.
I would personally go with using a centralized database to skip all the work of setting up new users and also have a single point to update when the data needs a refresh, but of course it all depends on where your users are.

Organization of a multi-user application

I have a WPF C# multi-user applicaton which interacts with Sql Server Express database. Currently I have faced up with the following issue:
How to organize the application and the database in order for several users on different stations be able to work on it , maybe i should put the database file on a server, and make my application on all other stations refer to that server when they interact with the datatbase? If so, how can I provide security of the database file.
Is there any scenario in which I could install my application on server and sign it as server and while installing on other machines point that server?
Any advice on general strategies in such cases would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance!
If all the users are concurrent then your going to need to place the SQL instance on a server that they all have access too..
your also going to need to know look at quite a few things like this such as how your going to manage your transactions and just how your persistence layer is going to function in general.
each of those topics are probably going to breed many more SO questions :)
this could help for some inspiration on how your going to structure the persistance layer..
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/dd569757.aspx
For multi-user application, you definitely should put the database onto a server. And because the application is for multi-users, the first screen shown when a user opens the application is the login screen (just like the case of web application).
Security isn't a matter, once a database is put in the filesystem, only the users on that computer can access it. And of course, the computer which contains databases is supposed to have only administrators as users. Another point is that Windows may have IIS running, don't put the database files under public root of IIS so that non-user people won't be able to download them through HTTP.
Let's say the users are working on the same office. You can assign any computer in the LAN as a server and install the database on it. Any computer in the same LAN has a LAN IP (eg. 192.168.1.100), your application can connect to this IP for database operations.

Best choice of database for my C# application

I'm writing an application which will involve interaction with the database. The application will be used by users from the scale of 100 to 1000 and the database should be able to store up to 100,000 rows of data.
Previously I have used Microsoft Access but my users were required to install microsoft access database engine for my application to function as intended. I want my application to as light weight/portable as possible, so is there any better alternatives where users will not be required to install any third party components to run my application?
Look at mongoDB, it is an open source non relational database that has picked up popularity. Its is very fast too.
Depends on whether the DB will be server side or client side.
If it's server side it's up to you really, I would personally go SQL Server as I know that best, or even a mySql/phpMyAdmin combo. But if it's to reside on the client machine try SQLite (just a warning though it is exactly as the name suggests, LITE, so a lot of the more complex SQL might not be supported). SQLite may be exactly what you're looking for depending on the complexity involved in your project.
ALSO: SQLite is supported on iPhone, Blackberry and Android as well. So if you wanna go mobile, no problem.
Your application could connect to a cloud database (like SQL Azure). That will not require any third party components and it will be accessible from anywhere/any device.
Do you need a only one database for all the users or every user has it's own database? If it will be on the server side, i would prefer SQL Servers (ex. MSSQL, MySQL). But for clients side, SQLLite would do the work.
You should consider if a SaaS model is relevant, in other words if you could benefit from hosting all your users' databases on the cloud and let clients access it by remote. In your scenario I would consider a SaaS model if: (1) your users need to scale up their individual database beyond the capacity of their local machine, (2) there is a need to share data between the databases of different users - or maybe this could enable good features you don't have in your system today, or (3) users find it a drag to have to run the database on their local machine, because of the resources it uses up, uptime needed, backups, etc. If any of these are sometimes true, hosting all the databases on the cloud with some sort of multi-tenancy arrangement might be a good solution and will make your application as lightweight as possible because you don't need to include a database at all.

Shaky connectivity - favor web or desktop app?

I'm a desktop application developer who is temporarily working in the web. I'm working with a client that wants me to build an app for use by locations all over the state; however, these locations have very shaky connectivity.
They really want a centralized web app and are suggesting I build a "lean" web app. I don't know what a "lean web app" means: small HTTP requests but lots of them? or large HTTP requests with few of them? I tend to favor chunky vs chatty.. but I've never had to worry about connectivity before.
Do I suggest a desktop app that replicates data when connectivity exists? If not, what's the best way to approach a web app when connectivity is shaky?
EDIT:
I must qualify my question with further information. Assuming the web option, they've disallowed the use of browser runtime technologies and anything that requires installation. Thus, Silverlight is out, Flash is out, Gears is out - only asp.net and javascript is available to me. Having state this, part of my question was whether to use a desktop app; I suppose that can be extended to "thicker technologies".
EDIT #2: Network is homogeneous - every node is Windows. This won't be changing.
You should get a definition of what the client means by "lean" so that you don't have confusion surrounding it. Maybe present them with several options of lean that you think they might mean. One thing I've found is it's no good at all to guess about client requirements. Just get clarification before you waste a bunch of time.
Shaky connectivity definitely favors a desktop application. Web apps are great for users that have always-on Internet connections, and that might be using a variety of different browsers and operating systems.
Your client probably has locations that are all using Windows, so a desktop application is an appropriate choice. One other advantage of web applications is that they make the deployment issue easy to deal with. Auto-update technologies like ClickOnce make the deployment and update of desktop applications almost as easy.
And not to knock Google Gears, but it's relatively new and would have to be considered more risky than a tried-and-true desktop application.
Update: and if you're limited to just javascript on the client side, you definitely do not want to make this a web app. Your application simply will not be available whenever the Internet connection is down. There are ways to save stuff locally in javascript using cookies and user stores and whatnot, but you just don't want to do this.
If connectivity is so bad, I would suggest that you write a WinForm app that downloads information, locally edits it and then uploads it. This way, if your connection goes down, all you have to do is retry until it works.
They seem to be suggesting a plain vanilla web app that doesn't use AJAX or rely on .NET postbacks or do anything that might make it break down horribly if your connection goes away for a bit. Instead, it should be designed so that you can hit Refresh until it works. In other words, they seem to want the closest thing to a WinForm app, only uglier.
You may consider using a framework like Google Gears to help provide functionality during network down time. This allows users to connect to the web page once (with a functioning connection) and then be able to use the web app from then on, even without a connection.
When the network is restored, the framework can sync changes back with the central database.
There is even a tutorial for using Google Gears with the .Net Framework.
Gears with other languages
You mention that connectivity is shaky at these locations, but that the app needs to be centralized. One thing you might consider is using multiple decentralized read database servers and a single centralized write server. Mysql makes this possible and affordable if your app is small.
Have the main database server at the datacenter/central office. Put up small web/db servers at each location, with your app installed. You can even run them off a user computer if the remote location is not too big. Make the local database servers connect to the centralized database server as replication slaves. As changes come in to the centralized database, the slave servers will pull down the data and make it available locally. When the connection is unavailable, your app data is still at least available, if not up to date. When the connection is available, the database handles replicating all relevant data down.
Now all you have to do is make your app use two separate database handles: reading data it uses the local database, writing data it uses the central database.

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