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Hommer
Aged Yak Warrior
808 Posts |
Posted - 2005-03-25 : 10:15:41
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I am looking for ways of converting MS Access application to dot net. I found several websites saying they can do the job. I’d like to here any recommendation from the group.Here are the ones I found, and my concerns based on my preliminary assessment.Greenwich Financial Modeling Inc. (http://www.gfminc.com/)They had been on Access journals years back, but their latest news on the site was dated 2001, and I could not get a email reply from them. Are they still in business? Their product only converts to VB6.MicroTools(http://www.microtools.us/default.htm) Their product is cheap, and their site looks less sophisticated. My big question for them is can they do a decent job.Diamond Edge(http://www.diamondedge.com). Their products are more on converting to Java platform side. Thank you in advance for your help! |
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tkizer
Almighty SQL Goddess
38200 Posts |
Posted - 2005-03-25 : 13:37:11
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I'll tell you what my .NET teacher said. He said don't convert your applications over to .NET with any converter. If you want to move to .NET with this application, do it from the ground up. Using conversion utilities makes bad code and doesn't make it any better. So if you don't have the time to rewrite it in .NET, just leave it the way it is. This teacher is a well respected .NET developer here and works with MS directly on their .NET products.Tara |
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jsmith8858
Dr. Cross Join
7423 Posts |
Posted - 2005-03-25 : 13:49:00
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that's good advice. If the Access application works well from a workflow and UI perspective, then perhaps use that basic idea and re-write the app from scratch using the new technology. Often defining the business requirements is by far the hardest part of writing an app, so that part should be pretty much done. If that is solid and well-defined and well tested and accepted by the users, then rewriting the code should be quite easy since most of the tricky, subtle work has been done already.I know that on a new project, I personally spend 40% of the time getting requirements and clarifications and confirmations from users, 40% of the time working on the UI and workflow, and only about 20% of my time writing actual code and/or debugging.And, of course, if the workflow and overall business requirements as they currently exist are NOT well-defined or well accepted, then all the more reason to start everything from scratch.- Jeff |
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Hommer
Aged Yak Warrior
808 Posts |
Posted - 2005-03-25 : 16:35:29
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Thank you again Tara and Jeff.Both of your points are well taken.We are a 30 million/annual revenue manufacturing company. Near 50% of the applications are Access 97 front end with SQL Server 2000 backend. We just converted from Sybase to SQL Server months ago. The number one reason that we want to upgrade is the poor performance/slow response time of current access apps. I know moving away from DAO into ADO, from passthrough to Stored Procs, from linked tables to DSN less calls will help. But my new boss wants to find out is there a quick way to convert...You guys words certainly mean more to him.--Hommer |
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tkizer
Almighty SQL Goddess
38200 Posts |
Posted - 2005-03-25 : 16:37:19
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The problem though is that with a conversion that you might not get any performance improvement. If you did a rewrite, that's where you'd see a big bang.Tara |
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aashi
Starting Member
2 Posts |
Posted - 2005-04-13 : 07:59:34
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hi....i'm a new member of this forum...i've a VB.net application with database as MS Access.My problem is when i deploy the application on client machine which may be windows 98 or 2000, it asks for MDAC 2.6 or more. Also i've searched net and found that MDAC 2.6 and above versions of it does not support OLEDB,ODBC,Jet Engine Drivers...can anybody tell me that even if i install MDAC 2.6 on the client machine will my database which is accessed through OLEDB driver would be useful or not...or give me some other solution otherwise..Any help would be welcome...please its urgent |
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jsmith8858
Dr. Cross Join
7423 Posts |
Posted - 2005-04-13 : 08:34:23
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Not sure what you are asking specifically, but yes, you need to install MDAC 2.6 or above on the client. No, it will not break anything or cause any problems if you do this. As for concerns about not supporting ODBC, OLEDB, JET, etc: that's what MDAC does -- it installs the latest versions of those components.- Jeff |
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jhermiz
3564 Posts |
Posted - 2005-04-13 : 10:48:27
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You should include MDAC as part of your required installation package. How do you distribute the application to the end client ? Keeping the web experience alive -- [url]http://www.web-impulse.com[/url]Imperfection living for perfection -- [url]http://jhermiz.blogspot.com/[/url] |
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JimL
SQL Slinging Yak Ranger
1537 Posts |
Posted - 2005-04-13 : 13:57:43
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Hommer I saw this "poor performance/slow response time of current access apps"Let me guess you are useing .mdb access programs with linked SQL tables.First Get yourself a copy of Access 2003 devlopers addition and change them to .adp Replace your querries with SPs, this should not be very hard as you can copy the SQL code from the existing Querry. This may require some tweeking to make them work right but you would have had to do it for .net anyway. Note: do as much of the filtering on the server side as you can (this will really speed up your apps). Publish them in .mde format with the developer package remember to include the Runtime version of access in the package.This will give you about the same speed at a fraction of the cost and devopment time.JimUsers <> Logic |
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aashi
Starting Member
2 Posts |
Posted - 2005-04-14 : 05:20:23
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hi there...thanx...my application now deploys and i first installed MDAC 2.6 and then my software and now it runs. I'm to distribute the application to the client throught a deployment setup project with installer. Can i add MDAC_TYP.exe also in that project along with my application..also tell me can i distribute dotnet framework exe with it as well..Another problem that is occuring is not related to MS Access but related to Crystal reports...does anyone here know about how to deploy them..Please note that the merge modules that are required for it i've included them in my setup..thanx again for the helpaashi |
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awells40391
Starting Member
1 Post |
Posted - 2008-04-23 : 13:29:03
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Microtools.us SUCKS. ANETVB7 SUCKS.They only allow you to convert Northwind database so you cannot see what a lousy job it does with your code and business objects. I paid 149.00 for the application I ran the conversion against my mdb (which is 100% forms, modules, and classes using ADO...not a single table or query). The Lame program converted my business objects (classes) to modules AND renamed them...WHO KNOWS WHY. I notified microtools.us about it (AS A BUG) and i went so far as to give them my database for testing. A day later they sent me the same converted piece of junk that i came up with.After a week of looking over the crap i was left with i decided that it would be easier to re-write the whole thing myself from scratch. When I asked for my money back because ANETVB7 is crap they told me that they do not refund once they have given someone support. (They consider you telling them the program does not work as support). I told them that i noticed they had no reviews and that I was more than glad to post one. Their response was: "We really don't care for a good review or a bad review"STAY AWAY FROM Microtools.US |
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KTWilliams
Starting Member
1 Post |
Posted - 2008-05-05 : 18:17:27
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Hi, I've been using Microtools for quite awhile now and so far I've had no complaints. It was real easy to use and saved me a ton of money from hiring actual people to do the work...Andy from microtools has provided hours of support for me without a single charge.... |
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jimbojetson
Starting Member
1 Post |
Posted - 2011-04-17 : 09:23:47
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You could always try Pendragon Interactive's Access to VB.NET converter. Its really cheap, and does a nice job of making necessary code changes. Also converts DAO to ADO.NET.Jim DunstanTechnical PartnerPendragon Interactive |
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