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Jenny
06-06-2001, 07:29 PM
I'm developing a new web site for my school and would like to change host from the current one to FutureQuest. However, I do have one problem and I would very much welcome any help or guidance.

We would like to introduce an Alumni area and include a password-protected searchable database. This would not be large (maximum of 5000 pupils I would think) and we only intend to add a few fields online (first name, last name, maiden name, years at school, e-mail address). Although I am confident when it comes to coding web sites, databases are an unknown area to me (except for very simple stuff) and I certainly do not want to get into programming at this point - it's probably completely beyond me anyway. The main school database is an Access document housed in the school office. This contains more fields (such as addresses) that we need to keep private, and we also need to comply with the UK Data Protection Act of course. So, this main database will be kept separate from the online one at least for the time being, though maybe they will need to be linked in the future.

So, to my query:
Can a simple Access database of the kind detailed above be easily converted into or communicate with the PHP/MySQL system that FutureQuest uses?
Or, given my complete newbie status in this area and the fact that the current host has just started to offer a Microsoft Access Database option for $60 (£40) per annum, should I leave this particular web site with the current host?
The latter option would be shame as FQ would suit us best in every other way :)!

dank
06-07-2001, 01:17 AM
An Access database could be exported to a delimited format which could easily feed into a flatfile (i.e. text file; 5,000 records would just about max out its capacity) or MySQL database system.[nbsp][nbsp]You could have something custom programmed, or go with a ready-made package.[nbsp][nbsp]If you go the latter route, I would recommend Gossamer Threads' DBMan (http://gossamer-threads.com/scripts/dbman/index.htm).[nbsp][nbsp]They also have a MySQL version of DBMan, but I haven't used it.

Dan

Mandi
06-07-2001, 11:44 AM
I use Access locally to maintain my database, and do exacty as described - export as delimited flatfile - for use on my FQ site.

Arthur
06-08-2001, 12:04 AM
I use the script located here (http://download.sourceforge.net/pub/mirrors/mysql/Downloads/Contrib/exportsql.txt) to convert Access databases straight into MySQL format.

Jenny
06-08-2001, 04:38 AM
Very many thanks to Dank, Mandi and Arthur - you have given me some excellent starting-points and I will be exploring all of them in depth once I am ready to develop this area of the site. Time will tell, but at first glance it looks as if I will be able to cope with all this... amazing! Meanwhile, I'm really glad that I will be able to host the site with FQ - once I've finished writing it, of course.

Thanks so much - I didn't know where to start before and now I do :)