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1842

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7
+7  Q: 

Tools to convert Microsoft Access to an online PHP/mySQL system

We have a Microsoft Access database that has been used for many years. Our staff is very used to using the Access tables and forms to query, view, update and add to the data.

But the database is at the end of its lifetime. We want to convert it to a PHP/mySQL solution.

I have found tools that can convert the Access database to mySQL.

But are there any tools that can analyze the way the tables and forms look and work in Access, and generate an equivalent easy to use PHP web-based interface with the same functionality: to query, view, update and add to the data?

Okay. I did a bit of searching on the web and I found one tool that seems to do exactly what I'm looking for: PHPrunner

Does anyone have experience with this tool? Are there any other similar tools worth considering, maybe something less expensive or even free?

A: 

Good question. I don't know about PHP (although there is phpMyAdmin for administration), but I have a friend who has used OpenOffice Base to develop graphical forms that can connect to a MySQL database via JDBC. You'll probably find Base similar to Access. (in fact, Access may be able to access your MySQL database via ODBC although I'm not sure about that.)

Jason S  2009-01-22 19:02:54
Yes you can connect MS Access through ODBC, that's why its called "Open Database Connectivity".
CodeSlave  2009-01-22 19:18:26
Note: The questioner is asking about converting MS Access to PHP, not about redeveloping it in something else like OO-Base.
CodeSlave  2009-01-22 19:19:45
And phpMyAdmin has nothing to do with developing a front end -- it is simply a really nice web-based administration tool for MySQL (i.e., the back end only).
David-W-Fenton  2009-01-23 02:35:28
A: 

Check out Oracle Application Express (http://apex.oracle.com)

 2009-01-22 19:21:33
For what? Does it convert Access to PHP? If not, what's the point of your answer?
David-W-Fenton  2009-01-23 02:36:03
A: 

Not that I'm aware of. It is probably too hard to build such a beast. Especially when you start factoring in VBA that may be behind the forms; and all the oodles of parameters for each object. (oodles is a technical term for a whole bunch)

You are probably looking at a rewrite of the GUI. You might be able to use a PHP CRUD tool to speed up this process. You already have all the business logic in front of you, and the data structure is fixed.

Joel S. has talked about the mistake of rewriting, for the sake of rewriting. But I don't think this is the situation you are in. You are changing one piece of technology, and its effectively the same thing if you are using an automatic converter or hand code it (you still have to look at the whole thing).

CodeSlave  2009-01-22 19:32:53
Access forms do not use VBScript. They use full VBA.
David-W-Fenton  2009-01-23 02:36:38
noted and corrected
CodeSlave  2009-01-23 05:20:23
A: 

Try xataface, it's not for converting Access db UI to php/Mysql UI but it makes a lot easier to create UI for MySQL db. Using it in combination with phpMyAdmin would give a pretty good results in no time.

Check intro video on their site, you will se it is not needed to be developer to use xataface, just regular techie.

esmajic  2009-01-22 21:48:06
That is definitely a possibility. And it's free!
lkessler  2009-01-23 15:39:11
+1  A: 

I would ask what the justification for moving to PHP/MySQL would be. If it's to centralize administration and to provide remote access, you might consider whether or not it would be simpler to set up a Windows Terminal Server and host your Access app there. All administration is in one place, and any users who could access a web-based replacement app would be able to run the WTS-hosted app.

I'm very much of the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" persuasion, and if the app is basically OK, and gets the job done (even if it's horridly ugly internally, as most Access apps that have been around a while will tend to be), then I think it's much more efficient to keep it.

On the other hand, if the reason to convert is that the Access app is written with convoluted spaghetti code that nobody can maintain any longer, and then it's combined with the need for better administration/distribution of the app along with the need to roll out remote access, then the case for redeveloping is strong.

Another issue might be that you've outgrown the Jet database engine as a data store. In that case, upsizing to SQL Server or MySQL can be a very cost-effective way to extend the life of an Access app that has outgrown its original scope.

I'm a professional Access developer, but I also develop in PHP/MySQL, so I know both sides of that coin. I don't believe there is any realistic choice other than to start over from scratch, simply because web UI has to be completely different from Access UI.

--
David W. Fenton
David Fenton Associates

David-W-Fenton  2009-01-23 02:44:11
Thanks, but "it's broke". The search tool for the Access database is custom built and won't work beyond Windows XP. There is no staff left who knows Access anymore resulting in "catastrophes" everytime even minor problems happen. And by going to PHP/mySQL, we can connect it to our digitized images.
lkessler  2009-01-23 15:32:19
Why not replace the Jet back end with MySQL and keep the Access front end? I can't imagine why running it on Vista would break functionality. You might be surprised how little time (i.e., $$$) it would take a competent professional Access developer to fix that problem and port to a server back end.
David-W-Fenton  2009-01-25 00:55:32
It's the custom search tool that was for us long ago that won't run on Vista. It was customized exactly to our liking. We figure it would be easier for us to change to PHP and mySQL because the search tool could be rewritten in PHP. Again, we have people with PHP expertise but not Access expertise.
lkessler  2009-01-26 03:44:59
It can't possibly be written in Access/VBA if it won't run on Vista. There is just no way that would break, unless it's dependent on some outside libraries that don't work on Vista.
David-W-Fenton  2009-01-26 04:17:55
+1  A: 

PhpRunner. See my later edits to my question.

lkessler  2009-09-17 04:21:54
A: 

Has anyone used http://www.bullzip.com/products/a2m/info.php

Credit  2010-08-26 16:36:25
Yes. I had used it. See my comment to David in the comments under my question. It does the conversion to MySQL fine, but it does nothing to aid in the development of the PHP user interface to access the data.
lkessler  2010-08-26 20:15:34

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