--- In [email protected], Steve <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > So long as the user has access to both the Access database and the MySQL > database, then theoretically, what you are proposing should not be a > problem. I am afraid that I don't know of a pre-made script to do that, > however. If Access has enough sophistication that would allow a user to > submit a SQL query that will automatically dump all data and tables out > to a flat file (like MySQL) has, then it should be relatively easy to > do. You may need to research this a bit to see what Access is capable > of. It has been a long time since I've used Access, and its support for > more advanced capabilities of SQL escape me at the moment.
Migrating MSAccess applications to the LAMP stack can be very lucrative. Friends performed this task for 80 pounds (US$150) per hour. Superficially, it seems like a trivial task but the devil is in the detail. If the schema is normalized and the interface is trivial then the application is trivial to migrate. Unfortunately, part of the scalability limitation arises due to complete ignorance regarding schema design. Knowledge that is present is often negated by graphical schema design. Also, you won't be able to transfer any forms or application logic. So, you'll have to migrate the dataset, normalize and re-write the interface in PHP. The result will be a scalable, multi-user system based on open standards. However, it will typically be a large task. Migration of flat tables can be achieved by copy and pasting each table from MSAccess to a spreadsheet. Don't paste into MSExcel because you'll create unneccesary problems with extended symbols. Use OpenOffice instead. Also, MSExcel doesn't always write standard .csv files, so you may discover that rows get munged for no apparent reason. This is another reason to use OpenOffice. You can import and normalize the .csv files by writing your own import utility. This gives you maximum flexibility to fix trivial datatypes, dodgy rows and half-baked representations. It also allows you to repeat the process. This is important if the legacy application continues to be used while you develop the replacement. In the trivial case, data can be normalized using a trigger on a blackhole table. Unless you have a *huge* volume of data, it is easier to develop a utility in PHP with your favorite editor rather than faffing with the less powerful language within MySQL Server and no editor. It also frees you from upgrading existing database instances to MySQL Server 5.0. > -- > Steve - Web Application Developer > http://www.sdwebsystems.com > > nickvansmack9 wrote: > > > > > > John & Steve, thanks for the reply. That's good to know. Is it possible > > to create a frontend > > on a webpage where they can process it through the browser sort of like > > doing an > > "attachment" like in Yahoomail. I mean, completely upload from a webpage? > > > > Know of any scripts that can do this? Do you want to upload an MSAccess .mdb file and expect to obtain a working web application? It is a stellar idea but merely interpreting the file format in PHP may be an 18 man month effort. The result would run less efficiently and the process would fail in many cases. Optimizing each instance is the best solution. > > Thanks! > > nick > > > > --- In [email protected] <mailto:php_mysql%40yahoogroups.com>, > > Steve <steve@> wrote: > > > > > > That's exactly what I was going to say. Simply export your database > > > tables to some kind of flat file and use that file to import the data > > > into your MySQL database. > > > > > > -- > > > Steve - Web Application Developer > > > http://www.sdwebsystems.com <http://www.sdwebsystems.com> Tippus Tailus
