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Using Microsoft Tools To Design Web Sites That Work w/ Apache?

Posted by Cliff on from the can-they-share-a-sandbox? dept.

Grimster asks: " As a new Web hosting company/ISP we're just now getting to the point of being asked for "E-commerce" and other database requiring Web sites. Currently we're running Solaris 7 on Sparc, Apache + PHP + Frontpage Extensions + SSL, and a MySQL database. The problem is, our Web designers want to use MS Access to create the databases and then deploy those onto our Web sites, both for our customers as well as for our own projects. I've been scouring the Web and all resources trying to find out what (if anything) I can do to support this approach to Web development, and so far I haven't really found anything "good" or even possible to allow this. The question is, how can my Web designers use MS Access and Frontpage to create these Web sites and my Apache server support this, without paying Microsoft Tax by being forced to build an NT + IIS + ASP Web server? I really hate the thought of having anything critical running on NT. Any hints, solutions, antecdotes, and advice on this subject will be utterly appreciated."

5 of 37 comments (clear)

  1. Get a big stick by Matts · · Score: 2

    And hit them over the head with it, until all thoughts of MS Access finally leave their bleeding pulverised bodies. ;-)

    Seriously - MS Access is not safe enough for live web use, so I assume you're hoping there might be some porting tool to convert MS Access DB's to PHP + MySQL. I think you've reached the conclusion that there isn't, so it's time to reach for that stick.

    --

    Matt. Want XML + Apache + Stylesheets? Get AxKit.
  2. exportsql.txt by JakeS · · Score: 2

    Get exportsql.txt from the MySQL contributed downloads page. Paste it as a module in the Access database and run it. It will make a SQL "script" which you can run in mySQL to recreate the data exactly. I did something similar for a client some time ago and it worked quite well.

    As a plug for a favorite product, I'd suggest pointing the designers toward Visio2000 for database design, rather than doing it directly in Access. Visio2000 lets you visually draw out the entities and relationships. Then, with a few clicks, it will actually create the structure you've drawn on any ODBC-compliant database (Access97, SQL Server, MySQL, whatever). It's VERY usefull for complex database design.

  3. Hey! by randombit · · Score: 2

    What are you talking about? Everyone knows that MS is fully compliant with every standard worth using (why do you think people talk about The Microsoft Standard; they like standards that much). No wonder Microsoft recommends using IIS instead of Apache: Apache doesn't even support those great standards Microsoft is such a big fan of! Sheesh.

  4. I was going to suggest this... by cr0sh · · Score: 2

    Ya beat me to it!

    Well, here is another link for it, anyhow:

    http://www.cynergi.net/exportsql/

    --
    Reason is the Path to God - Anon
  5. Re:Use Access as a frontend to MySQL by dlc · · Score: 2
    • are there any other ASP solutions for Apache? I've yet to find one

    Hey, there sure are. Joshua Chamas' Apache::ASP, which runs under mod_perl, is probably the best solution. It runs exactly as IIS' ASP does, using the same constructs. It would probably be worth your while to check out.

    The full Apache::ASP home page is at http://www.nodeworks.com/asp/, and there is tons of support for it on the mod_perl mailing list (including the author himself).

    darren


    Cthulhu for President!
    --
    (darren)