Re: Thoughts - Saving Word documents in SQL Server?

From: Rob Meade (robb.meade_at_NO-SPAM.kingswoodweb.net)
Date: 01/06/05 

Date: Thu, 06 Jan 2005 19:25:27 GMT

"Andy" wrote ...

> Thanks for your input Rob.

You're welcome.

> Its a web based system we're thinking of. Did you open the word document
in
> IE its self or allow the user to save it offline?

The process goes something like this:

2 level access, Admins/Editors, Editors can add and update documents, Admins
can create the 'structure' of the storage area - we employ a javascript tree
on the front page of our application which displays the various levels (see
below). An Admin/Editor logs into the application, selects the level of the
tree to store the document, fills in some basic details on a web form - such
as version number, document owner, owners email address,
publish/review/obsolete dates etc, then the last field enables them to
select the file from their local pc and upload it (we use SA-FileUp for
this).

So - in answer to your question they select the file from their local
pc/network drives - we dont actually have the word document open when they
save it.

However... :o)

In the second application that I wrote(with colleagues - you never know -
they might read this! :oD), there are some other steps...

The second system enables patient correspondance (I work for the NHS in the
UK), to be uploaded in a similar fashion - this time without the
tree/structure, but with a more complex search (consultant, gp, patient, nhs
number etc), the first step which is different here is that we have a macro
that is used via Word (as all of our users have MS Office installed), this
populates most of the letter for them from our patient database, they then
click a button on a toolbar, up pops a web browser asking them to login,
once they done this a similar form is presented to them for some details,
this time we used Soft Artisans X-File component to automatically snatch the
file form the users PC (requires an activex component to be installed into
the client browser) - the file is then transmitted when they click submit,
along with all of the data from the form.

So I guess we kinda have both ways...

Hope this helps.

Regards

Rob