No, I’ve been researching and it seems very complex for my skills (I’m not a professional programmer). There are PlugIns to install, or third-party Drivers or similar… too complicated.
Thanks I’ll read it asap.
…I notice your game plan has shifted to now moving away from Microsoft Access.
It’s a different game.
Even as you say “I’m not a professional programmer” every layer of tech (database or language) requires dedication to learning.
IMO migrating to SQLite is a poor choice.
IMO your easiest path is a MySQL or Postgres database hosted on a cheap web host ($3-$5 per month), accessed via a Xojo Web App (assuming you still plan to use Xojo) installed on the same server.
App changes can be published on the fly and your app can be accessed by any device with a modern browser.
Start by modernising the CRUD (create, read, update and delete) database functionality of your legacy app and add deeper functionality, like reports etc over time.
If it turns out Xojo is not your “thing” either, then the same cheap server will have 20 other built in “free” starting points for building a web app, such as PHP.
…and if you are non technical or just lazy-AF you can find people on Fiverr etc to convert your Access database to MySQL for under $20 within 24 hours.
…and for the price of a Xojo licence you could probably outsource a first cut of the core functionality in PHP etc.
Respectfully, you could be finished by now.
Kind regards, Andrew
No word about writing a web application but…super Idea.
He could also write a Dotnet Webapp, a Kotlin Multiplatform Web App or a vaadin Web app instead of Xojo and PHP. Both are not for High nperformance use, both having several problems.
And as Database he can also use PostgreSQL insteag nof MySQL. There are several ways.
No, don’t do it! This is not the proper usage of sqlite.
Use DBMS MariaDB or postgres for this task.
oh in that case, just put it into a network database like MariaDB.
If you need a interim to make certain you lose no data, install SQL Express and import the access database into it.
There shouldn’t be data loss going into Maria, but you can adjust your migration as needed, while having it accessible over the network with SQL Express.
Why should he use a Software you have to pay for? In my eyes not needed.
sql express is free
sorry, that’s true. But further notice: not my DB.
my DB?
you mean MariaDB? Thats free too.
Or do you mean you don’t use it? Thats fine, I don’t like SQL Express either.
But, if one were to incrementally move an existing AccessDB to another solution, it’s a good option to cleanly move to a non-local solution and test out the process, before settling on a permanent home.
@Abbie, thanks for mentioning MariaDB. Depending on the host MariaDB is often provided as a replacement for MySQL. For example, this is true of Xojo Cloud. I think of them interchangeably. MySQL and MariaDB are compatible.
SQL Server 2022 Express is available on fewer hosts (Windows Servers usually being a little more expensive per month than Linux based servers however that gap is closing) but SQL Server 2022 Express is a sound choice for on premises servers (it is in theory the big brother to Microsoft Access), and Access tables can be easily imported.
@thorstenstueker arguably makes the best choice with PostgreSQL, as it likely the most supported open source database.
Given your development background Xojo Web is a good choice when you are supporting a reasonable number of users, however, if you need to scale @thorstenstueker has provided you with sound advice on Java based tools like Vaadin / Hilla etc which scale incredibly well and are free to begin (with paid offerings for pro tools like a visual designer). IMO, Vaadin has a similar learning curve to Xojo.
Looks like, you need to know what free software is and what not:
https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.en.html
God forbid the english language has contextual clues.
I was very clear in what I said, I don’t think anyone misunderstood, and I am very much well versed in “free software” as defined that way.
Look, someone says they need help installing a font, I help them install a font. I don’t get pedantic and try to over explain what they really meant was ‘typeface’
In my opinion, that is NOT “Free Softwre”
in my opinion, “Free Software” is
- available to you at NO COST
- therefore you can distribute as you wish
- it does NOT mean you can have the source code
- it does NOT mean you can modify it as you see fit
I don’t wish to invalidate the term “free software,” which can be contextually very useful.
I do get upset with having spent over 20 years having people try to rub my face in that definition when I give away software, or point out no-cost software.
“Free” itself has many meanings, and forcing the idea to be exclusive to either the GNU ideal or to a cost amount is unnecessary and only hurts conversation.
…and there is a link waiting just for you Tomas. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mansplaining
Some software is free (big-deal) - that does not mean it doesn’t have a cost.
I’ve never understood the obsession (rather “illness”) with the topic.
Kind regards, Andrew
The Online Designer is still free, only to mention that for Vaadin.
It is also simple and produces the Sourcecode for the forms at the end. In case of the payed options: that are massively functional components. For fundamental stuffs there is no need to pay.
Also you can find free AddOns like ApexCharts instead of payed solutions. There is no need for payment. But. It makes life easier. The ecosystem around provides you all you need.
Always there is a but. Also here. The learning Curve of Vaadin is a bit harder than Xojo Web for a Xojo programmer. Learn first Java fundamentals. All Vaadin Flow Soucecode is written with Java. So you need to learn Java and after Vaadin. It is much work.
If you have Windows and access to VB6 then there is a freeware library called VB Rich Client. In this library there is an example project which will convert MDB file to SQLite format.
Do check it out. It will give you some idea as to how to convert.
As for SQLite server I would advise you to check out Valentina DB Server.
It supports SQLite DB in its native format.
Instead of giving access to SQLite DB in a Shared folder in network I would advise you to use Valentina DB Server.
Here is the URL: Valentina Server Overview: Database, Reports and Forms Server on Windows, Linux & macOS
Finally there is an opensource project called DBConvert. Using it may also solve your first problem
easily.
T just converted an Access DB with IntelliJIdea/DataGrip without any problems. Works. That’s it. DBConvert can also do the Job. But using a SQLite DB with more than one user will take care that it crashes your Data. SQLite is a Single User File based DB. Don’t do that over a network with concurrent users. That will end the DB’s life.
Use PostgreSQL instead as DB Server. That works and is robust & reliable. Write your App for Windows and Linux / MAcOS. You can use Java Swing (my favorite while only one time setting the Driver and not for several OS Platforms and one time building and simply running on all platforms). You can also use C#, c++ and even Xojo you could use what I would not do cause of it’s slow DB connections.
Here is one more Multi Tenant RDBMS offering which is based on SQLite.
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