[AccessD] SPAM-LOW: Re: Binding forms and controls directly to SQL Server

jwcolby jwcolby at colbyconsulting.com
Tue Mar 23 09:24:26 CDT 2010


I know how to link to the tables, and in fact do that right now.  I am talking about the next step.

If you just link to the tables, then when you try to pull two tables, join them on PK/FK, and 
filter, all of that work is done client-side.  The indexes used in joins and filters have to be sent 
to Access (JET), which in memory client-side grabs data, joins, filters etc. and finally applies the 
data to a combo or form.

I want to set up SQL Server to join the two tables, apply filters and just send the DATA to Access.

I know that this is possible, but I do not know the details, the mechanics of doing this.

John W. Colby
www.ColbyConsulting.com


Darren - Active Billing wrote:
> Hi John
> 
> Using a paradigm we all know and love
> Link to the tables and build forms over these linked tables
> Edits are directly entered into the SQL tables from the ACCESS Forms
> You can build a wrapper for the stuff that handles the connections - but
> I've included it all here in one function so you get the idea
> 
> OK Assume You have a table named "Ledger" in SQLSVR - 
> Assume I have form called frmLedgerItems in my Access dB that I want to be
> the interface to this SQL table
> 
> Also - You get the relevant data for your combos the same way - It's very
> quick and very easy
> 
> Now I don't claim to know a lot about this stuff so those who know can look
> at this stuff and point out better ways to do it I'm sure
> 
> Got the Transferdatabase tip this from Stuart By the way
> 
> !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> Private Sub ps_GetLedgerItems()
> 
> On Error GoTo Err_
> 
> Dim stDocName As String
> 
> Dim strUserID As String
> Dim strPassword As String
>     
> Dim strServer As String
> Dim strServerIPAddress As String
> Dim strdBName As String
> 
> Dim strODBCConn As String
> 
> stDocName = "frmLedgerItems"
> 
> strUserID = "UuserNameHere" ''Could be a DLOOKUP
> strPassword = "passwordHere" ''Could be a Dlookup
> 
> strServer = DLookup("[DefaultServer]", "tblClients", "ClientID = " &
> Forms!frmClients!txtClientID)
> 
> strServer = Trim(strServer)
> strServerIPAddress = DLookup("[ServerIPAddress]", "tblServers", "ServerName
> = '" & strServer & "'")
> strdBName = DLookup("[DatabaseName]", "tblClients", "ClientID = " & Forms!
> frmClients!txtClientID)
> 
> 
> strODBCConn = "ODBC;Description=Test Connection;DRIVER=SQL Server;SERVER=" &
> strServerIPAddress & ";APP=Microsoft Data Access Components;DATABASE=" &
> strdBName & ";UID=" & strUserID & ";PWD=" & strPassword &
> ";Trusted_Connection=no"
> 
> 'I connect to many SQL Server dBs so I need to always get the 'right one'
> 'So I delete the link to any previous table
> DoCmd.DeleteObject acTable, "tbl_ledger"
> 
> DoCmd.TransferDatabase acLink, "ODBC Database", strODBCConn, acTable,
> "ledger", "tbl_ledger", False
> 
> DoCmd.OpenForm stDocName
> 
> Exit_:
>     Exit Sub
> 
> Err_:
> 
>     MsgBox Err.Number & " " & Err.Description, vbCritical, "error in
> ps_GetLedgeritems"
> End If
> 
> Resume Exit_
>     
> End Sub
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
> [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of jwcolby
> Sent: Wednesday, 24 March 2010 12:12 AM
> To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving
> Subject: [AccessD] Binding forms and controls directly to SQL Server
> 
> Guys,
> 
> One thing I have always wanted to learn is how to bind Access objects
> directly to SQL Server.  Does 
> anyone out there do this and would you be willing to assist me in figuring
> this out.
> 
> My billing database is in SQL Server.  SQL Server 2008 is running directly
> on my laptop and the 
> database files are on my laptop.  I know some stuff about SQL Server but
> there is a bunch that I 
> don't know.  I tend to know the "data side" but not know the admin side.  I
> can create tables, 
> indexes, views and stored procedures.  I have never created a stored
> procedure that returned a 
> result set, only SPs that return an integer, and also (from C#) SPs that
> have Output Parameters for 
> things like ErrorNo and ErrorDescr and NoOfRecsAffected.  Stuff like that.
> 
> So, what do I do to:
> 
> 1) Cause combos to pull their data from SQL Server.  Do I create a view on
> the server side?  If so 
> how do I then cause Access to see the view and use that for the combo.
> 2) Pass parameters to the server side so that (for example) I could filter a
> combo to only display 
> products for a specific client.
> 3) Cause forms to pull data from sql server such that the forms are able to
> see and edit the data, 
> but bound to something (a view?) out in sql server so that SQL Server "does
> the work" of narrowing 
> down the data displayed.
> 
> Let's take a reasonable simple example.
> 
> I have a "time sheet form".  This form has a pair of controls which I can
> use to set from / to dates 
> so that by default when opened the form displays this week's time entries.
> However I can set dates 
> for any time period and display the time records that match that to / from
> filter.
> 
> I have a Client Product combo that displays only products for currently
> active Clients and currently 
> active products for those clients.  Thus that combo pulls data from the
> client and product table, 
> filtered on the active flag of both.
> 
> I have a work category combo that pulls data from a table which is
> essentially the product / bill 
> rate, so once a client is selected, a filtered (by client) product is
> selected, and then a filtered 
> (by product) work category is selected.
> 
> Pretty simple stuff to do directly in Access.  But how do I do this such
> that SQL Server does this 
> filtering and presents the filtered data to the combos?
> 
> I have never even looked at this stuff so I need very specific instructions
> one time.  I seem to 
> vaguely remember that I need to build views (or SPs?) out in SQL Server, and
> then do a passthrough 
> query?
> 
> Can anyone help me figure this out?  Once I do it one time I will be off to
> the races.
> 
> Thanks guys!
> 



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