connect to Access DB on remote computer with php?

[snehula]

Well lads this might be a stupid question but the situation is the following. A customer wants to maintain an ms access db coz that's what he can work with, while enabling ppl from the company to access db data through a browser interface, all this using a linux web host with apache. I am totally confused here so excuse me if I'm being stupid, but here's what goes through my mind:
if he has ms access on his pc, can i connect to it with php using the odbc functions? or is it a total nonsense..
let's say he goes offline leaving the browser-frontend for db manipulation dead as i imagine. Is it possible instead of the first solution to import an access db into a mysql db on the webhost server and automatize this everytime he updates his ms db?
i was also wondering, if one could maybe use vmware to have the Access db on the webhosting server and what would all that involve?

thanks for your patience :-)))

[snehula]

another thing is, if these hopefully not entirely fictional options are possible at all, the second option with importing access db into mysql would be readonly right? or wud i be able to convert a mysql db to .mdb and send it back to access? and finally, could my questions get any stupider? :-)))

[rocknbil]

Your questions aren't stupid, but bending the Internet out of convenience for the client might be construed as a little dumb. :-) Sometimes you just have to say no, or present it in terms that will make sense. What makes sense most to a client? Either learn another way or get out your wallet, this will cost you. :-)

This **can** be done, but access is not the program of choice to do this. It's not robust enough to handle large databases and is difficult to find and implement solutions for it, and it's likely to cost money. A far better way might be to train the client how to export their access tables as .csv files and write them an interface to import them to their web site. You'd also have to write an export interface as well, and train them on how to import the resulting files back into access.

[phpguy]

Id put it in a mysql db, and let them use access to update it. I dont think they would know the difference. Then you can just hit the mysql db from the web.

[snehula]

thanks :-)