Web-based equivalent of Microsoft Access?

Question

Does anyone know of a web-based database system similar in function to Microsoft Access?

Basically I'm looking for a frontend to an RDBMS that can be used to:

• create, modfy and delete database objects
• enter data directly into tables
• view data in a grid format
• easily create forms for data entry
• add programming logic behind such forms (in a similar way to how Access does it with VBA)

and be entirely based around the web.

Any ideas?

(edit: it doesn't have to be compatible, just similar in function)

Answer 1

Have a look at Filemaker? I believe there's a web-based system out of the box as it were which could do what you need?

Answer 2

Do you mean something like ZOHO Creator? (Note I have never used this)

Answer 3

SharePoint does much of what you require by using a SharePoint List. Lists aren't relational, though, so it may not suit your needs. SharePoint is user friendly in the sense that you can set it up for anyone to create a List and begin entering data.

You should consider building a simple two tier application with UI and data access only, and forgo any business logic.

Answer 4

Well, phpMyAdmin and MySQL can be used to achieve:

• create, modify and delete database objects
• enter data directly into tables
• view data in a grid format

For the other requirements what I've used is cakephp (a php framework for rapid web development), is different from access and it requires a lot of coding compared to it (although it's very simple code most of the time) but is also more powerful.

Sorry if my english isn't very clear.

Answer 5

ASP.NET Dynamic Data would get my vote for closest. Then again, I don't use Access - so I may be missing something. But, Dynamic Data scaffolding will get you:

• create, mod[i]fy and delete database objects
• enter data directly into tables
• view data in a grid format

ASP.NET WebForms will get you:

• easily create forms for data entry
• add programming logic behind such forms (in a similar way to how Access does it with VBA)

You could step up to Sql Reporting Services if you want "end-users" to create the forms and some of the logic.

Answer 6

The free Visual Studio 2008 has a lot of drag and drop/wizard/wysiwyg functions to do this fairly easily. If you can learn VBA, you should be able to do some simple stuff behind the forms. You would need you own Windows Server with IIS & SQL Server or use a host.

Answer 7

A standard installation of MySQL will come with phpMyAdmin, which does 90% of what you want. The "programming behind forms" is pretty unique to Access, but phpMyAdmin is installed as unobfuscated source and thus expandable.

It is not, however, as flexible or powerful as Access, which is both a file-based database system and a 4GL development environment. I looked for other 4GLs that might have been modernized to live on the web (FoxPro, Remedy, Clipper,) but none appear to be currently extant.