Doing an online store with ACCESS database?

Sky Captain · #1 (**permalink**) 04-19-2007, 02:02 PM

Has anyone used Microsoft Access? I have a database in that format and I want to connect it to an online store.

The end result will be a searchable music store catalog. I want it searchable by artist name, label, album name, and some other variables. This info is all contained in the access file.

At this point, I'm not sure how I'll be constructing the site... with blog, wiki, or some third party software.

Can anyone suggest a method or software to use in conjunction with Access?

Dubbya · #2 (**permalink**) 04-19-2007, 03:46 PM

vp-asp shopping cart uses Access databases.

I'm running it on my site.

It's a free cart and will allow you to do just about anything. It's highly configurable and comes with fully detailed setup instructions.

Additional functionality is available through option packs.

http://www.vpasp.com

Sky Captain · #3 (**permalink**) 04-19-2007, 06:47 PM

Wow, that sounds great. When you said free, did you mean the program was free? Or just one aspect of it?

On the site, it seems they have three price levels, the cheapest being $245.

http://www.vpasp.com/sales/shopdisplayproducts.asp

Aside from a free demo, am I missing something?

ADAM Web Design · #4 (**permalink**) 04-20-2007, 06:25 PM

Theoretically, you don't need to spend anything, although it would take a fair amount of time to learn.

Microsoft has a server-side language called ASP (Active Server Pages) that will work with Access and work well, once you learn it. It's what VP-ASP (I believe) is based off of.

www.asp101.com
www.haneng.com
www.4guysfromrolla.com

These three links should get you started.

Sky Captain · #5 (**permalink**) 04-24-2007, 12:28 PM

I need something where the grunt work has been done for me. I'm no ASP genius.

I've found a relatively cheap one here: http://www.candypress.com/CPmain3/default.asp

The first part is free, the second part is $60. Not sure if I'll be needing both, but that's affordable.

Dubbya · #6 (**permalink**) 04-27-2007, 02:10 PM

You can download install and use the vp-asp "demo" which is just a stripped down version.

You only have to buy the full versions, most of which include functionality that you really don't need just to get going.