Putting databases on the the Web

[Rami Heinisuo]

Hi all, hope this helps...

What do the really, really smart people do to make their Access databases
available on the web...the same as the rest of us:

They use Windows 95, MS Personal Web Server and voilá - IDC/HTX -files to
specify the layout (.HTX) and SQL+connection info (.IDC) - an example
follows:

File: Books.idc
-------------------------------------
Datasource: BookDatabase
Template:Books.htx
SQLStatement:SELECT * FROM Titles
Password:
Username:


File: Books.htx
--------------------------------------

<...normal html stuff here ...>

<UL>

<%BeginDetail%>
<LI><%Author%>, <%Title%>
<%EndDetail>

</UL>

<!-- code above prints out authors and titles 
     according to the SQL select statement 
     in Books.idc -->


Everything (connecting to the database, handling parameters, selecting
correct rows and columns ...) is done by HTTPODBC.DLL, which is a bridge
between a (Personal) Web Server (a *free* MS product from 1996, there is a
never with the same name, but it is more complex) and ODBC compatible
databases. 

Your databases don't even have to be Access - everything with a 32bit ODBC
driver is sufficient (dBaseX, Paradox, Oracle, SQL Server, Solid Server 
etc...)

- build or use a database
- download and install Personal Web Server (should be in every Tucows)
- go to the Control Panel and ODBC 32 and define your datasource (odbc
  terminology, equals your database)
- write your .idc and .htx files
- point your browser at http://your.host.here/scripts/my_db_appl.idc
- that's basically it!


There is also a Wizard in MS Access '97 called 'Publish in HTML' or
something, which does most of the idc/htx job for you.


Greetings from Finland (-20 C degrees, still zero polar bears),


Rami Heinisuo
Information specialist