gtnovose
asked on
Generic Web Question - SQL Access for reporting
I am a VB 6.0 Database programmer dog who is trying to learn some new tricks!
I have a project that I am going to be working on which I could use some guidance on. I have a couple of tables in a MS SQL database which I need to generate some reports on. These reports will vary based on the users input in requesting the report (e.g. date ranges).
Thinking that it is time to work with some new tools and tricks (at least to me), I would like to pursue this project via the WEB; setting up a page that the user could fill in for their report parameters, submitting a resulting query to the server and then formatting a page with the resultant data.
I am somewhat familiar with HTML from the standpoint that I have written a number of VB apps which in turn generate static HTML pages for some reports. I am looking for something more elegant here.
I would like someone to outline a method to do the above task; e.g. which tools to use (CGI, PERL, ASP), server side or client side processing, that sort of thing.
Will appreciate all responses and will be generous with points!
Thanks,
GTNOVOSE
I have a project that I am going to be working on which I could use some guidance on. I have a couple of tables in a MS SQL database which I need to generate some reports on. These reports will vary based on the users input in requesting the report (e.g. date ranges).
Thinking that it is time to work with some new tools and tricks (at least to me), I would like to pursue this project via the WEB; setting up a page that the user could fill in for their report parameters, submitting a resulting query to the server and then formatting a page with the resultant data.
I am somewhat familiar with HTML from the standpoint that I have written a number of VB apps which in turn generate static HTML pages for some reports. I am looking for something more elegant here.
I would like someone to outline a method to do the above task; e.g. which tools to use (CGI, PERL, ASP), server side or client side processing, that sort of thing.
Will appreciate all responses and will be generous with points!
Thanks,
GTNOVOSE
You're background in VB and the fact that you have IIS webservers already installed leads me to believe that using ASP is the way to go for you. You can use satic HTML forms to submit to ASP which you can then use to generate your reports.
To get started look at
www.4guysfromrolla.com
www.asp101.com
www.microsoft.com
To get started look at
www.4guysfromrolla.com
www.asp101.com
www.microsoft.com
You'll need some sort of server side processing to dynamically build the SQL for the query. Pick whatever technology you want for the server side (Perl, ASP, JSP, XSQL, ColdFusion, etc.) Have them submit a form with whatever information they want, build the SQL string based on that info, do the query, and build the output page. It's not really that hard, so long as you know what the options are, and can build the SQL to match. Probably the biggest suggestion I have is limit what they can choose! Give them the basic report with the ability to add or remove fields, or change their display order. If you overdo it on the freeform stuff, you'll spend too much time coding to handle cases that no one will use. Of course, if you need that much flexibility, try Crystal Reports.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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This question has been open for some time and is now in
need of wrapping up.
Please DO NOT accept this comment as the answer to the question, it is purely an alert to the fact that this question is still open.
It would be greatly appreciated if any of the participants could comment back here in order to give assistance in what the status of this question is and what should be done with it (delete, 0 PAQ, award points etc).
Kindest Regards
Ant
need of wrapping up.
Please DO NOT accept this comment as the answer to the question, it is purely an alert to the fact that this question is still open.
It would be greatly appreciated if any of the participants could comment back here in order to give assistance in what the status of this question is and what should be done with it (delete, 0 PAQ, award points etc).
Kindest Regards
Ant
I think my comment was pretty helpfull....but cannot say that for sure because gtnovose didn't come back to comment on this...
Max.
Max.
It is time to clean this abandoned question up.
I am putting it on a clean up list for CS.
<recommendation>
points to DreamMaster
</recommendation>
If anyone participating in the Q disagrees with the recommendation,
please leave a comment for the mods.
Cd&
I am putting it on a clean up list for CS.
<recommendation>
points to DreamMaster
</recommendation>
If anyone participating in the Q disagrees with the recommendation,
please leave a comment for the mods.
Cd&
ASKER
Thanks DreamMaster and sorry to all for not accepting this sooner!
Went the VB/ASP route and found it a VERY easy solution to pursue. Was fun to learn and work with.
Thanks again (everyone)!
GTNOVOSE
Went the VB/ASP route and found it a VERY easy solution to pursue. Was fun to learn and work with.
Thanks again (everyone)!
GTNOVOSE
Anytime gtnovose,
Glad you made it in here by yourself to close the question...just looks better then a force accept.. :)
Max.
Glad you made it in here by yourself to close the question...just looks better then a force accept.. :)
Max.
ASKER
Yeah, TG for the automatic notifications.
Unfortunately do not have much time to follow the questions here and had simply forgotten that I had an outstanding one.
Still, it is a great forum and EE has bailed me out a number of times now!
Thanks again,
GTNOVOSE
Unfortunately do not have much time to follow the questions here and had simply forgotten that I had an outstanding one.
Still, it is a great forum and EE has bailed me out a number of times now!
Thanks again,
GTNOVOSE
ASKER
This project will operate on company intranet only. We have MS NT 4.0 Servers with IIS. MS SQL Server 7.0. Majority of clients use MS IE 5.0 with a few using various Netscape.
Thanks again!