Need some input on the program i am making, database and report methods.

[CrashanBurn]

Hi,

Was wondering if anybody could give me his/her opinion about what i am doing.
This program i am writing is basically a way to record orders.
So i got a bunch of possible components required, which got their textfield(1 for product info, 1 for product price).
Those are controlled with a checkbox, disabled on default. Enabled when checked.
Something like this

Label, Checkbox, Product info textbox, Product price textbox.
This for a bunch of products, and at the bottom you got the total costs textbox.
Which updates as entries are made.

2 questions

1. Would a access database be a good thing to use for this?
To save the completed forms to, for later viewing through the program.
Or are the better options for this kind of thing.

2. Would crystal reports be a good choice to make the reports after the form has being completed.
So you got a decent sheet which shows you the entire order, and give a print ability.

Thanks for reading.

[SARUBA]

Hello CrashanBurn,

Your two questions do work for the solution for your program. The Access database do a great thing in a simple way. Use the database for save the records and encrypt it for more security (Give a password for the database). The Crystal Reports is a good choice for viewing the entire data and the crystal report has a default "Print" option to print the sheet. So choose the Crystal report for this.

I hope you got an idea, reply me.

Thanks.

[CrashanBurn]

Ok thanks for clearing that up for me.

Was unsure if i was going in the right direction, its being a while.

Guess i can go start figuring out how to pull it off in a proper way.

Thanks again

[G_Waddell]

Hi,

I would never use an access database:
PROS
1. Nice interface
CONS
1. Microsoft do not recommend the use of Access for more than 5 users at a time.
2. SQL Server Express is Free
3. SQL server Express is more robust
4. SQL Server Express supports many of the more advanced features available in the full SQL Server version, such as stored procedures, views, functions
5. You can design security into the DB level by only giving the user access to views and stored procedures i.e. no direct access to Tables.
6. SQL Server Express has the same backup and restore functionality as the more expensive Editions

The only down side to SQL Express I can see is the lack of an interface, but you can get Managment Studio from a more expensive Edition to interface with it.

[CrashanBurn]

Hi,

I would never use an access database:
PROS
1. Nice interface
CONS
1. Microsoft do not recommend the use of Access for more than 5 users at a time.
2. SQL Server Express is Free
3. SQL server Express is more robust
4. SQL Server Express supports many of the more advanced features available in the full SQL Server version, such as stored procedures, views, functions
5. You can design security into the DB level by only giving the user access to views and stored procedures i.e. no direct access to Tables.
6. SQL Server Express has the same backup and restore functionality as the more expensive Editions

The only down side to SQL Express I can see is the lack of an interface, but you can get Managment Studio from a more expensive Edition to interface with it.

Ok i see, thats good to know.
The basic idea is to be able to recall the previous orders inside the program.
This by showing perhaps a first name, last name and date in a combobox.

[G_Waddell]

Hi,

I would definately use a database, the only other alternative I can think of is writing out the data to a text file which you should avoid as you have no way of preventing someone outside the program modifying or deleting it.

[CrashanBurn]

Hi,

I would definately use a database, the only other alternative I can think of is writing out the data to a text file which you should avoid as you have no way of preventing someone outside the program modifying or deleting it.

Yes your right a text file is out of the question.
Database is definitely the way to go for this.
Just wasn't sure yet about access or sql, but i am testing with sql atm.