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- Microsoft Access - Wikipedia

 

Data is locked at the record level which is significantly different from Excel which locks the entire spreadsheet. There are template databases within the program and for download from Microsoft's website.

These options are available upon starting Access and allow users to enhance a database with predefined tables, queries , forms, reports, and macros. Power users and developers can extend basic end-user solutions to a professional solution with advanced automation, data validation , error trapping , and multi-user support. The number of simultaneous users that can be supported depends on the amount of data, the tasks being performed, level of use, and application design.

Generally accepted limits are solutions with 1 GB or less of data Access supports up to 2 GB and it performs quite well with or fewer simultaneous connections concurrent users are supported. If using an Access database solution in a multi-user scenario, the application should be "split".

This means that the tables are in one file called the back end typically stored on a shared network folder and the application components forms, reports, queries, code, macros, linked tables are in another file called the front end.

The linked tables in the front end point to the back end file. Each user of the Access application would then receive his or her own copy of the front end file.

Applications that run complex queries or analysis across large datasets would naturally require greater bandwidth and memory. Microsoft Access is designed to scale to support more data and users by linking to multiple Access databases or using a back-end database like Microsoft SQL Server. With the latter design, the amount of data and users can scale to enterprise-level solutions.

Microsoft Access's role in web development prior to version is limited. User interface features of Access, such as forms and reports, only work in Windows. In versions through an Access object type called Data Access Pages created publishable web pages. Data Access Pages are no longer supported. The data i. Access allows databases to be published to SharePoint web sites running Access Services. These web-based forms and reports run in any modern web browser. The resulting web forms and reports, when accessed via a web browser, don't require any add-ins or extensions e.

ActiveX, Silverlight. Access can create web applications directly in SharePoint sites running Access Services. Access web solutions store its data in an underlying SQL Server database which is much more scalable and robust than the Access version which used SharePoint lists to store its data. Access Services in SharePoint has since been retired.

A compiled version of an Access database File extensions:. ADE; ACCDE only works with Access or later can be created to prevent users from accessing the design surfaces to modify module code, forms, and reports. Both the. MDE and. ADE versions of an Access database are used when end-user modifications are not allowed or when the application's source code should be kept confidential. Microsoft also offers developer extensions for download to help distribute Access applications, create database templates, and integrate source code control with Microsoft Visual SourceSafe.

Users can create tables, queries, forms and reports, and connect them together with macros. Advanced users can use VBA to write rich solutions with advanced data manipulation and user control.

Access also has report creation features that can work with any data source that Access can access. The original concept of Access was for end users to be able to access data from any source. It also has the ability to link to data in its existing location and use it for viewing, querying, editing, and reporting.

This allows the existing data to change while ensuring that Access uses the latest data. It can perform heterogeneous joins between data sets stored across different platforms. Access is often used by people downloading data from enterprise level databases for manipulation, analysis, and reporting locally.

This makes it very convenient to distribute the entire application to another user, who can run it in disconnected environments. One of the benefits of Access from a programmer's perspective is its relative compatibility with SQL structured query language —queries can be viewed graphically or edited as SQL statements, and SQL statements can be used directly in Macros and VBA Modules to manipulate Access tables.

Users can mix and use both VBA and "Macros" for programming forms and logic and offers object-oriented possibilities. VBA can also be included in queries. Microsoft Access offers parameterized queries. These queries and Access tables can be referenced from other programs like VB6 and.

Microsoft Access is a file server -based database. Unlike client—server relational database management systems RDBMS , Microsoft Access does not implement database triggers , stored procedures , or transaction logging. Access includes table-level triggers and stored procedures built into the ACE data engine. Thus a Client-server database system is not a requirement for using stored procedures or table triggers with Access Tables, queries, forms, reports and macros can now be developed specifically for web based applications in Access Integration with Microsoft SharePoint is also highly improved.

The edition of Microsoft Access introduced a mostly flat design and the ability to install apps from the Office Store, but it did not introduce new features. The theme was partially updated again for , but no dark theme was created for Access. NET web forms can query a Microsoft Access database, retrieve records and display them on the browser. SharePoint Server via Access Services allows for Access databases to be published to SharePoint, thus enabling multiple users to interact with the database application from any standards-compliant Web browser.

Access Web databases published to SharePoint Server can use standard objects such as tables, queries, forms, macros, and reports. Access Services stores those objects in SharePoint. Access offers the ability to publish Access web solutions on SharePoint The macro language is enhanced to support more sophisticated programming logic and database level automation.

Microsoft Access can also import or link directly to data stored in other applications and databases. Microsoft offers free runtime versions of Microsoft Access which allow users to run an Access desktop application without needing to purchase or install a retail version of Microsoft Access.

This actually allows Access developers to create databases that can be freely distributed to an unlimited number of end-users. These runtime versions of Access and later can be downloaded for free from Microsoft. The runtime version allows users to view, edit and delete data, along with running queries, forms, reports, macros and VBA module code. The runtime version does not allow users to change the design of Microsoft Access tables, queries, forms, reports, macros or module code.

The runtime versions are similar to their corresponding full version of Access and usually compatible with earlier versions; for example Access Runtime allows a user to run an Access application made with the version as well as through Due to deprecated features in Access , its runtime version is also unable to support those older features. Access stores all database tables, queries, forms, reports, macros, and modules in the Access Jet database as a single file.

For query development, Access offers a "Query Designer", a graphical user interface that allows users to build queries without knowledge of structured query language. In the Query Designer, users can "show" the datasources of the query which can be tables or queries and select the fields they want returned by clicking and dragging them into the grid. One can set up joins by clicking and dragging fields in tables to fields in other tables. Access allows users to view and manipulate the SQL code if desired.

Any Access table, including linked tables from different data sources, can be used in a query. Access also supports the creation of "pass-through queries". This enables users to interact with data stored outside the Access program without using linked tables or Jet. When developing reports in "Design View" additions or changes to controls cause any linked queries to execute in the background and the designer is forced to wait for records to be returned before being able to make another change.

This feature cannot be turned off. Non-programmers can use the macro feature to automate simple tasks through a series of drop-down selections. Macros allow users to easily chain commands together such as running queries, importing or exporting data, opening and closing forms, previewing and printing reports, etc. Macros support basic logic IF-conditions and the ability to call other macros. Macros can also contain sub-macros which are similar to subroutines.

In Access , enhanced macros included error-handling and support for temporary variables. Access also introduced embedded macros that are essentially properties of an object's event. This eliminated the need to store macros as individual objects. However, macros were limited in their functionality by a lack of programming loops and advanced coding logic until Access With significant further enhancements introduced in Access , the capabilities of macros became fully comparable to VBA. They made feature rich web-based application deployments practical, via a greatly enhanced Microsoft SharePoint interface and tools, as well as on traditional Windows desktops.

It is similar to Visual Basic 6. To create a richer, more efficient and maintainable finished product with good error handling, most professional Access applications are developed using the VBA programming language rather than macros, except where web deployment is a business requirement.

In the database container or navigation pane in Access and later versions, the system automatically categorizes each object by type e. Many Access developers use the Leszynski naming convention , though this is not universal; it is a programming convention, not a DBMS-enforced rule.

Developers deploy Microsoft Access most often for individual and workgroup projects the Access 97 speed characterization was done for 32 users. Databases under 1 GB in size which can now fit entirely in RAM and simultaneous users are well within the capabilities of Microsoft Access. Disk-intensive work such as complex searching and querying take the most time. As data from a Microsoft Access database can be cached in RAM, processing speed may substantially improve when there is only a single user or if the data is not changing.

In the past, the effect of packet latency on the record-locking system caused Access databases to run slowly on a virtual private network VPN or a wide area network WAN against a Jet database. As of , [update] broadband connections have mitigated this issue.

Performance can also be enhanced if a continuous connection is maintained to the back-end database throughout the session rather than opening and closing it for each table access. In July , Microsoft acknowledged an intermittent query performance problem with all versions of Access and Windows 7 and Windows Server R2 due to the nature of resource management being vastly different in newer operating systems. In earlier versions of Microsoft Access, the ability to distribute applications required the purchase of the Developer Toolkit; in Access , and Access the "Runtime Only" version is offered as a free download, [44] making the distribution of royalty-free applications possible on Windows XP, Vista, 7 and Windows 8.

Microsoft Access applications can adopt a split-database architecture. The single database can be divided into a separate "back-end" file that contains the data tables shared on a file server and a "front-end" containing the application's objects such as queries, forms, reports, macros, and modules.

The "front-end" Access application is distributed to each user's desktop and linked to the shared database. Using this approach, each user has a copy of Microsoft Access or the runtime version installed on their machine along with their application database. This reduces network traffic since the application is not retrieved for each use. The "front-end" database can still contain local tables for storing a user's settings or temporary data. This split-database design also allows development of the application independent of the data.

One disadvantage is that users may make various changes to their own local copy of the application and this makes it hard to manage version control. When a new version is ready, the front-end database is replaced without impacting the data database.

Microsoft Access has two built-in utilities, Database Splitter [46] and Linked Table Manager, to facilitate this architecture. Linked tables in Access use absolute paths rather than relative paths, so the development environment either has to have the same path as the production environment or a "dynamic-linker" routine can be written in VBA.

For very large Access databases, this may have performance issues and a SQL backend should be considered in these circumstances. To scale Access applications to enterprise or web solutions, one possible technique involves migrating to Microsoft SQL Server or equivalent server database. A client—server design significantly reduces maintenance and increases security, availability, stability, and transaction logging. This feature was removed from Access A variety of upgrading options are available.

The corresponding SQL Server data type is binary, with only two states, permissible values, zero and 1. Regardless, SQL Server is still the easiest migration. Retrieving data from linked tables is optimized to just the records needed, but this scenario may operate less efficiently than what would otherwise be optimal for SQL Server.

For example, in instances where multi-table joins still require copying the whole table across the network. The views and stored procedures can significantly reduce the network traffic for multi-table joins. Finally, some Access databases are completely replaced by another technology such as ASP. NET or Java once the data is converted.

Further, Access application procedures, whether VBA and macros, are written at a relatively higher level versus the currently available alternatives that are both robust and comprehensive. Note that the Access macro language, allowing an even higher level of abstraction than VBA, was significantly enhanced in Access and again in Access In many cases, developers build direct web-to-data interfaces using ASP.

NET, while keeping major business automation processes, administrative and reporting functions that don't need to be distributed to everyone in Access for information workers to maintain. Microsoft Access applications can be made secure by various methods, the most basic being password access control; this is a relatively weak form of protection.

A higher level of protection is the use of workgroup security requiring a user name and password. Users and groups can be specified along with their rights at the object type or individual object level.

This can be used to specify people with read-only or data entry rights but may be challenging to specify. A separate workgroup security file contains the settings which can be used to manage multiple databases. However, regular updates are released for LibreOffice.

Base is a Java-based RDBMS that is similar to its role model, MS Access: it works with a graphical user interface and provides the same basic functions for database generation and management.

Program assistants are available to help you use different functions. In particular, users who are accustomed to working with Microsoft Access are likely to encounter problems with this program e. Since an HSQL database does not allow any contending writing access, this means that multiple users cannot work on one Base database at the same time. Being compatible with other databases is generally one of the biggest advantages of the program.

It contains design applications such as an image processing program and a vector graphics program. The Calligra Suite developed from the now discontinued Office package KOffice, which was initially only operable on Unix-like operating systems such as Linux. Meanwhile, the Calligra Suite is also available for Windows and macOS with some limitations, but Kexi is not included in this. Kexi supports the import of MS Access and dBase files. Classic DBMS tasks, such as generating and modifying tables and requests can easily be performed with the software.

You can also work with forms and create reports — the latter, however, are less detailed than they would be when using Microsoft Access.

However, you cannot use macros at all this is planned for future versions. In addition, the desktop application does not provide the option for multiple people to work simultaneously in a database. The open source software, Glom , is also a good substitute for Microsoft Access. The program also offers the option of creating reports. PostgreSQL is used as the database format.

Glom is especially suited to smaller databases and projects such as contact lists and product lists, which can be created quickly thanks to the simple means of operation. Glom and for the most part, Kexi , are more likely to use the database frontend concept, which additionally requires a database management system to be installed or at least collaborated with.

This is useful because it solves some common problems associated with classic desktop database systems and provides a stable and multi-user database. However, the range of functions and the possibilities of the two database management systems are really quite limited, meaning that the two programs are only really suitable for a small number of tasks. The advantage that MS Access has over the free, file-based database management systems is, among other things, the long development period that the program has already undergone as part of the MS Office Suite.

Even though only a few new features have been introduced in recent versions, the software has been constantly improved since its release in the early s and any errors encountered have been fixed.

FileMaker is the only fee-based program that has a longer development history than the desktop database management system from Microsoft.

It could be that the other programs are right for you; it just depends on your requirements and your operating system. Base from LibreOffice and OpenOffice has the largest range of features out of all the free alternatives to Microsoft Access, followed by Kexi. On the other hand, Glom has the clearest frontend and is the easiest to use, thanks to its minimalistic layout.

The type of software you go for can be dependent on how many user interfaces to other database systems are available or whether full multi-user features are included.

The final overview presents all the important features of the three desktop database management systems that have been introduced in this article. Traditional email is still a big part of online communication for private and for business use, with many users typically opting for Outlook as their email client. But many private users and small businesses often look for Outlook alternatives, since Outlook can often end up being expensive.

Dropbox is one of the most famous and most successful cloud storage services available. Its success is largely due to its many functions and ease of use. There are other file hosting services that offer different approaches. TeamViewer is still the most widely-used solution for remote management and online meetings, but there are numerous alternatives on the market which can be considered.

We present some serious alternatives to TeamViewer. When it comes to cloud storage services with synchronization functions, many users see ownCloud as the most reliable option.

It is also worth broadening your perspective, as the best alternatives to ownCloud also offer some other interesting features, which cloud storage service enthusiasts should not miss out on. This article is here to help you find the alternative to ownCloud that is right for Special WordPress blog themes let you create interesting and visually stunning online logs You can turn off comments for individual pages or posts or for your entire website. Keep reading to find out how Our WordPress guide will guide you step-by-step through the website making process Why are MS Access alternatives needed?

Microsoft Access is often used for producing and administrating customer databases. Microsoft Access: pros and cons at a glance Advantages Disadvantages Thanks to its advanced graphical interface, MS Access is ideal for quickly creating, managing, and analyzing databases, as well as producing simple reports.

It also offers much less functionality. Uncomplicated operation that is easy to learn; assistants also explain many functions.

Simultaneous use only possible with additional software SharePoint and only to a limited extent By using a SharePoint web application, databases can be implemented as web apps. Performance decreases noticeably when multiple users access the same database at the same time Many import and export possibilities to other database systems and MS Office products via ODBC Fee-based and only available for Windows Widely used as part of Microsoft Office.

What are the free alternatives to Microsoft Access? Glom The open source software, Glom , is also a good substitute for Microsoft Access. Glom offer relatively few functions, but is clear and easy to use.

Summary: can free Microsoft Access alternatives replace the original? Related Products. View packages.