I've only witnessed one occasion where someone else was able to do something pretty cool with Access, but it was sufficient enough for Access to earn a bit of respect from me.
I think many Tomcat users use MySQL and PostgresSQL due to the fact that they've got an open-source (as well as free) solution. At least I do; I can't afford Oracle, nor do I need it. Will, I use MySQL, and I'm happy with the MySQL Front free gui interface for it, however I don't think it's /quite/ what you're looking for. You don't design queries in MySQL (or in other apps I've seen) the same hands-off way you can in Access. Be this a blessing or a curse, I couldn't tell you. MySQL Front's website <http://www.mysqlfront.de> has some screenshots, check them out and see if they're helpful at all. Liam Morley Clay Graham wrote: >well I have never heard any of my friends say MSACCESS is good for anything. > >most small tomcat sites that I know use MySql or postgresSQL, most big ones use >Oracle 8i/9i > >clay > >-----Original Message----- >From: Will Hartung [SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] >Sent: Friday, June 28, 2002 6:10 PM >To: Tomcat Users List >Subject: Re: The best website database! > >----- Original Message ----- >From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > >>Hi All >> >>I currently use MS ACCESS as my backend to my website and other developers >> >> >in > > >>the forum have advised this is not a good choice and I am aware of this >> >> >but I > > >>was forced to use it as all data comes to me in MS ACCESS from database >> >> >admin > > >>that supply the data for the website. I want to know what is the best >>database to use for a website? >> >> > >"It Depends" > >Now that that is out of the way... > > > >>features I am looking for are: >> >>1- An excellent GUI (Very important) front like MS ACCESS where I can >> >> >quickly > > >>design queries, tables and so on. I normally design all the queries in MS >>ACCESS and then I just write the single line command "SELECT QUERY1" >> >> >rather > > >>than writing the full query in a javabean or jsp page by hand as this >> >> >saves > > >>me alot of time. >> >> > >Ideally, you will, in time, wean yourself of this reliance, as most >databases do not have a GUI. In the long term it's better to have a more >intimate relathionship with SQL, minimally for performance reasons. But, it >seems pretty clear you haven't reached that threshold yet. > >However, all is not completely lost. > >One of the Neat Things(tm) about MS ACCESS is not so much that it has a >built-in database based on Microsofts Jet Engine, but that it can act as a >central access point for, technically, any number of ODBC compliant >databases. So, you can theoretically still use ACCESS as your primary >database, but have all of the tables be linked from the true database host. > >This will certainly cost you performance, and the queries you devise may not >work quite like they do in native ACCESS, but it will be close. Particularly >if you are sticking close to the most basic of SQL functionality, and not >relying on a lot of the higher level functions provided within ACCESS. > >If you're using mostly "Pure SQL", then ACCESS is simply a data broker, and >yet another layer between your app and your DB. > >As long as the contention and locking facilities are being used in the >native backend, versus within ACCESS, you should gain quite a bit of >reliablity over pure ACCESS as well. I'm not totally sure if this is the >case, but it probably is, again for basic SQL statements. > >The goal is to use ACCESS simply as an interface into your new database, and >have it broker your SQL statements to and from the database, with hopefully >as little intervention as possible. Your "SELECT QUERY1" will still work, >however, but beware that ACCESS will potentially happily suck in all of the >data from the new DB, churn on it, and then spit it back out to you. >Depending on the query, this can be expensive and isn't what you want. If >you like the simplicity of "SELECT QUERY1" from ACCESS, I would suggest that >you perhaps use ACCESS to develop your basic queries, and then use the >actual SQL generated to turn them into VIEWS on the host DB, so the SQL in >your Java becomes "SELECT * FROM VIEW1". > >Again, it's almost always better to use the literal SQL rather than VIEWs, >etc. ESPECIALLY if you're joining them together. "SELECT * FROM VIEW1, VIEW2 >WHERE ..." CAN be very expensive. It all depends. > >But, when you data or activity gets big enough to actually notice the >performance dogging, this kind of stuff tends to float to the top pretty >quick, so when you need to fix it, you'll find it. These kinds of things >work great with 10 rows in the tables, and die horribly with 10000 rows. > >You WILL have issue with BLOBs of any kind, however. > >Of course, if you continue to receive data from your admin in ACCESS format, >you will need a way to convert that data into the new back end. Ideally, >this to can be automated from ACCESS as well: INSERT INTO NewBackEndTable >SELECT * FROM OriginalACCESSTable. > >So, the point being, that even if you go to a new database, you do not >necessarily have to leave the capabilites of ACCESS behind. Eventually, >particularly as your site gets more loaded, you will want to yank ACCESS out >of the loop and go direct, but it wouldn't surprise me if that's farther >away than you may think. It depends on your site. > >As to which backend, Oracle and SQL Server are more than capable. Oracle has >very good direct JDBC support, whereas SQL Server does not, the JDBC drivers >come from third parties. However you're probably using the JDBC<->ODBC >bridge. I've never used it in anger, so can't say anything to its >productiion worthiness, however I've never heard glowing things about it. > >But if you continue to talk to ACCESS, you're pretty much stuck with it >anyhow. > >Both of these DBs are quite expensive. > >mysql's biggest point against it is that it does not conform as well to the >standard SQL syntax and behaviors. It has other issues with it, but many >folks are satisfied and work around them. I don't know how well its ODBC >drivers may work. > >PostgreSQL has more conventional SQL DB capabilities, and its own hoards of >raving fans, and decent Java support, so it should be considered as well. I >don't know how good its ODBC driver is either, however. > >These two DB's are, of course, free. > >Has anyone used the new "desktop" MS SQL database engine? Isn't that the >backend of the Latest/Greatest ACCESS? > >You may also want to consider something like SQL Anywhere from Sybase, or >even Interbase/Firebird from WhateverBorlandIsCalledToday. They're cheap, >and not slouches for basic DB stuff. Sure, you can't have clusters of them >running on Mega SMP machines. But I really doubt that's the issue today. > >When the modern "desktop" is a 1.5GHz machine, with 512MB of RAM, there's a >LOT of capability in a "workgroup" database server today. > >Let's all raise our hands if you've supported over a hundred users on a >33Mhz 68030 with 64MB of RAM? App and DB...Come on..up with the >hands....Anyone? > >Anyway, hope that helps. > >As said in the beginning, it depends. > >Best Regards, > >Will Hartung >([EMAIL PROTECTED]) > > > > > >-- >To unsubscribe, e-mail: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >For additional commands, e-mail: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > >-- >To unsubscribe, e-mail: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >For additional commands, e-mail: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > > > -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For additional commands, e-mail: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>