Re: Convert Access application to .NET?

From: aualias (aualias_at_newsgroups.nospam)
Date: 06/22/04 

Date: Tue, 22 Jun 2004 12:16:29 -0400

Brian,

Interesting last sentence... My client complains that the application does
not get used.

This application is poorly written, but I have just picked up Access to do a
few "simple" jobs. I am learning as I go and the client does not want to
spend lots of money (and thinks things can just get done - in hours, if not
minutes). Slowly, they are beginning to understand; when I started my main
contact there blurted out, "Code?? What are you talking about? There is no
code!". I had to show her a code window.

Basically, I'm a C++ developer, now doing most things in C#. Rewriting the
whole thing in Access would mean that I would have to learn Access better
than I do now (not difficult, but there is a substantial learning curve and
I would have to eat the time). However, it is most likely that only parts
would really need to be rewritten. They can live with the less than great
functionality. The people on the Access forum think it would be crazy to
convert.

It is a difficult decision. I am not sure if they can justify the expense.
On the other hand, I believe they would be happier in the long run if they
had a Windows Forms app. We could put the database on a web service and
they could access everything from home. And, of course, I like the control
that a real programming language gives. I was sold on sticking with Access,
but now I'm backsliding...

Could you tell me what specific problems caused you to switch to SQL Server?
I had assumed that the instability came from the UI, not the database.
Also, do you know how Crystal Reports compares to the reports in Access.

Thanks for the reply.

Alfredo

"Brian P. Hammer" <bphammer@email.uophx.edu> wrote in message
news:#ZfVRqCWEHA.2844@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
Been there done that. Access is not an unstable platform if written
properly. The issues I had were that it was not written as should be. Little
error handling, no commenting and work around out the ..... The other issue
is that you either had to have access or use the redist package. This was
fine until you had more than one application, one that took 97, one that
took 2000 and the problems just kept coming. I have been in both worlds.
Access is easier to deploy rapidly, reports are fast and easy and database
is easy to work with. .Net is more robust and growth, IMHO, is easier to
work with. .Net is also a full blown program vb or c#. If you need real
secure database or web then to me there is no question.

We decided to convert the whole app to .Net. At first, we used an access
backend but moved up to SQL. The problems with fixes, data corruption and
instability went away. It is an application now that gets used. 

-- 
Brian P. Hammer
  "aualias" <aualias@newsgroups.nospam> wrote in message
news:u4pzMF9VEHA.2544@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
  I have a small-medium sized Access application that is poorly written.  My
  choices are to either rewrite large parts of the Access app so that it
  functions reasonably well, or to convert the whole thing to .NET.
  Not being an Access developer, the .NET approach seems most natural, but I
  want to do the right thing for the client (even if I end up giving away
the
  contract).  I posted on the Access forum and got the impression that my
  fears about Access being an unstable piece of junk were unfounded, and
that
  most of the things that need to be done in this type of application could
be
  done quickly and easily in Access and the rest could be coded as one would
  do in any other environment (just have to give up the "free" things that
  Access provides).
  Does anyone have any experience with this type of conversion?  I would be
  interested in your thoughts.
  Alfredo

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