I support SQL Server, mySQL, Access and Oracle for my ContentMonger Pro cms and have done so for some time so I feel your pain.
Short answer: Do it. Its amazing how many people use Access for a variety of reasons. The same goes for Oracle, although you will indeed introduce more issues into your code (most of which revolve around inserting conditional code that inserts the nextval of a sequence when creating a new record... no big deal. Plus you have to take care to adjust cfqueryparam so it uses the null parameter when appropriate rather than allowing an empty string). The point behind this is to open yourself up to as many potential -- paying -- customers as possible. The small guy just starting out has money just as green as the corporate guy. The same goes for the large university or public agency running Oracle. Both of those sales put your programming expertise and products in front of people who could perhaps use your services for additional work. Writing for Access is a bit of a challenge. Off the top of my head: values like record IDs are returned with a single decimal no matter what you do. Record ID 123 will arrive from Access as 123.0 no matter what your settings are in the db for the field. So as a habit I fix() every value where this can be an issue. Access will explode on contact with ANY date field when you try to use cfqueryparam on it. None of the cfsqltypes work so you have to write your code with this in mind and protect yourself in other ways. cf_sql_numeric is the safe cfsqltype to work with integer *and* decimal values for all four platforms except SQL Server, which requires cf_sql_decimal if decimals are in use. Otherwise cf_sql_numeric is universal. cf_sql_varchar is universal for ntext/varchar type fields on all platforms. cf_sql_longvarchar is the one for all memo/clob type long text fields. Just like Isaac, I never use the length parameter in cfqueryparam and enforce this in other ways. Thats not so much, really, when it comes to supporting Access. The only other element is I write auto-installers for my system, which include table/index/sequence builders. So I have to write Create Table statements for each platform, as well as Alter Table statements for the upgraders. The syntax for these varies quite a bit. -- --mattRobertson-- Janitor, MSB Web Systems mysecretbase.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Logware (www.logware.us): a new and convenient web-based time tracking application. Start tracking and documenting hours spent on a project or with a client with Logware today. Try it for free with a 15 day trial account. http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=67 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:208862 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.4 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
