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POFront-End for MS Access migration?
 

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    <h3>Background</h3> <p>I work for a large organization which has thousands of MS Access applications floating around. I didn't write any of these - in fact, most of the original authors have long since left the company - but from time to time another Access app lands on my desk for support. I would <em>soooo</em> love to replace access with a different solution. </p> <h3>Requirement</h3> <p>I know that there are several good alternatives for the database part of MS Access (the Jet database), such as SQLite, MySQL, VistaDB, etc. </p> <p>What I would like to know is: Is there anything that will replace the front end part of MS Access? </p> <p>I.e. Something which can be used to build forms, write simple scripts and queries, etc? </p> <h3>Why?</h3> <p>@BracC asked "why replace access?" - A fair question indeed.<br> I want to get rid of access because: </p> <ul> <li>it hides logic, leading to hard-to-support applications. Logic can be in lots of different places, none of which provide or encourage any structure: <ul> <li>macros</li> <li>modules</li> <li>queries</li> <li>forms</li> </ul></li> <li>its very nature encourages users to create "little" applications which become "not so little applications". Then the user leaves and I have to support a bunch of spaghetti. I know that access isn't the only culprit, but it's the leader in my organisation, and I would love to get rid of it completely. </li> </ul> <h3>For extra credit</h3> <p>what I would <em>really</em> love to find is something which can read in an MDB file and output something like C# which replicates the functionality. (Or any language - not fussy). </p> <p>I hope this is all clear. If not, please post a comment and I'll re-write/add detail. </p> <h3>Update</h3> <p>@GuinnessFan makes some points I find interesting. I have added my comments to discuss those points. </p> <p>What we have done since I asked the question: </p> <ul> <li>Got users to give us a definitive list of access applications they use and need. (The understanding is that any MDB files not on the list can be deleted - hooray!). </li> <li>Analysed the MDBs on the list, coming to the following conclusions: <ul> <li>Most of the "applications" consist of a single hard-coded query or a single linked table. </li> <li>Many are a small number of queries with, perhaps, a date parameter or similar. </li> <li>very few (if any) have any truly complex logic. </li> </ul></li> <li>We are now working through the list, converting most of the apps to SSRS (SQL Server Reporting Services) packages. </li> <li>Anything which can't be replicated using SSRS will become a hand-crafted web application. However, there aren't many of these. </li> </ul> <p>May I say many thanks, to <em><strong>everybody</strong></em> who has given me helpful answers. </p>
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