Database Gurus, please respond

[pilgrim]

Question to the Database Gurus :werenotworthy:

Am wanting to develop an Access database for the office, and then download the info into a Pocket PC. (Looking at a Symbol MC-50 unit at the moment, as an expensive ruggedized PDA). This is for collection and reporting of settings of field equipment.

The app will need to be able to reivew past history on the particular field equipment, and add new data. When back at the office, need to upload to an Access database. Actually, append the records with the newly created and modified records.

There may be two, possibly three personnel, out there with mobile PDAs

As a non-programmer type, this sounds conceptually easy. However, I am starting to have doubts. Configuring an Access database on a laptop is easy, but what happens with a PDA download/upload?

What am I missing here? Does Pocket Access supply all the functionality I need, or is there a separate program necessary? Am open to other options.....Access gives me a lot of flexibility in the reporting end, and is easily configurable (Crystal reporting was suggested, but this is outside my skill set)

Any and all thoughts appreciated. (Even about the Symbol MC-50.....it appears to be the best ruggedized choice, but it is horribly expensive)


Thank you!
:clap:

[yankeejeep]

You will find any number of WM-platform database apps that all have the same general sync scheme. They can sync with Access tables and most now have relational capabilities of varying levels. You will not find an app that will run a full-blown Access application, so you will need to create the relational links and entry forms in the PPC app for entry and look-up needs. But once the data is in the tables, you will be able to sync the cahnges back to the Access tables when the devices are cradled. I like SprintDB Pro as my PPC database app. It has fairly robust support for the more common SQL commands and crafting the relational links and data forms is fairly straightforward. If you think it will be overkill for your needs, Data on the Run is a good choice. Fewer options and less-powerful tools than SprintDB, but very easy to work with and very user-friendly. HanDB and abcDB have also come a long way and deserve a look if you don't find exactly the balance between power and ease-of-use in the others.

[tut00]

You may also want to check out handbase.com. They have a database app, which will sync with access. It will also let you create a database for the pocket pc based on your access database.

You can also get a regualar pocket pc, hp or dell, or any others and use a rhino skin case or otter box. They may provide you with enough, protection. Depends on your situatation.

PM me if you want to talk about this off-forum. More details would be helpful.

-John

[Sven Johannsen]

What hasn't been specifically mentioned is that there is no Pocket Access for Pocket PCs. There was for Handheld PC and there is a sync conduit within ActiveSync to sync .mdbs with the smaller version, .cdbs. That is, you can set up an Access DB to sync with Active Sync, and you will wind up with a .cdb on the Pocket PC, but you'll have nothing to view it. That's where some of the third party programs come in. Also, the .mdb to .cdb process only does tables and the data in them. It does not transfer queries, forms, modules, etc. Again, third party apps let you build all that specifically on, and for the PPC.

I've found that the sync function works fairly well, and can be compared to replicas on the full size program, if you've used those. I've never actually had to use more than one PPC and sync two 'replicas' back to the desktop program, so you'll want to get some confirmation that that works well, or try some test data.

I would go with SprintDB, as it seems to be more like a mini Access on the PPC than some of the others. I found the learning curve on it not to bad. Remember you will be generating the forms, queries, etc, on the PPC.

If you can get away with a fairly flat form, single column for records, spreadsheet like view for multiple records, you might want to check out Data On The Run. For a lot of applications, it works just fine, and is pretty much ready to go when you install it.