Tips for using Access as a front-end to a SQL Server database
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(Alexander Chigrik) Here are some helpful tips for using Microsoft Access as a front-end to a SQL Server database. |
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RE: Tips for using Access as a front-end to a SQL Server database
(posted: 7/21/2004 6:05:53 AM)
Some of these are wrong, and the list of tips incomplete. Poorly written (English as second language?)
RE: Tips for using Access as a front-end to a SQL Server database
(posted: 7/21/2004 4:30:52 PM)
Rather than trying to avoid aggregate functions, it is generally superior to use pass-through queries. This way, the data is gathered and processed on the server, and only the aggregated results pass over the network. As SQL Server is usually a very powerful and efficient database engine, and is usually hosted on a server of considerable power, this is probably the best place to perform all the query work.
RE: Tips for using Access as a front-end to a SQL Server database
(posted: 5/8/2005 11:55:44 AM)
"However, try to avoid using Access in this role."
This author is clearly biased, is clearly not an Access expert, and provides no benchmarking or sources for his often incorrect claims.
SQL Server front ends writen in Access are as good as the programmer, and Visual Basic provides no particular performance advantage in most cases, for most client-server type apps.
RE: Tips for using Access as a front-end to a SQL Server database
(posted: 5/8/2005 11:56:42 AM)
Although VB6 (or, even better, VB .NET) offers great flexibility, most apps do not benefit from such flexibility, and development of SQL Server client-server apps in Access is far faster than in any flavor of VB. Furthermore, the is no evidence whatsoever that a VB6/.NET app outperforms a similar well-designed Access app.
RE: Tips for using Access as a front-end to a SQL Server database
(posted: 5/8/2005 11:57:16 AM)
Just one example of an incorrect claim:
"Minimize the number of controls on Microsoft Access forms.
The smaller the number of controls will be, the faster the form will be loading."
My own benchmarks prove that the number of controls on the form makes very little difference in loading time, even when there are several hundred controls per form.
Many of the other suggestions are true regardless of the programming platform, and are simply cheap shots at Access as a development platform.
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