Hosting for FrontPage site with Access database

Popular Searches: FrontPage Hosting | FrontPage Templates | FrontPage Training | Free FrontPage

Logged in as: Guest

Printable Version

All Forums >>Taking FrontPage Further >>FrontPage and Databases >>

Page: [1]

Name:

Message

<< Newer Topic Older Topic >>

LeslieFL

Posts: 4
Member since: 8/21/2008

Hosting for FrontPage site with Acce...

Hello, I'm new here, but have been using FrontPage for about 8 years. I'm comfortable and fairly knowledgable with most of its uses and features for regular web sites, but I'm trying to create a database-driven web site using an Access database.

My problem is what web hosting company to use.

FrontPage (I'm using 2003) tells me I need a web hosting service that supports FrontPage or Windows SharePoint Services. I also have a book on FrontPage 2003 that says I need a hosting account with FrontPage Server Extensions along with SharePoint Team Services 1. (It also says if my web server is running SharePoint Team Services 2 on a Windows 2003 server, my Access database won't work.) The hosting company I am with now doesn't have SharePoint. They do have FrontPage extensions and support Access databases, but apparently not both at the same time, as I get a warning message that says "Enabling Access database support for your account may still not work because FrontPage may overwrite the directory permissions on your hosting account".

I know nothing about SharePoint Services. Can someone recommend a hosting company that they have used successfully for a site like this, and direct me as to which plan(s) I would need?

Thank you in advance! :)

_____________________________

Report Abuse | Date: 8/21/2008 5:52:17 AM

TexasWebDevelopers

Posts: 7039
Member since: 9/24/2002
From: USA

RE: Hosting for FrontPage site with ... (in reply to LeslieFL)

You have some longer term decisions to make.
Front Page server extensions are being phased out of most hosting companies.
Front Page extensions can be installed on both Linux and Microsoft Servers but Access database only work on Microsoft Servers. SharePoint Services really isn't what you want either unless you are using SharePoint to develop and host your web site..and you aren't going to do that.
So, you are left with needing a Microsoft Server with a Host that won't discontinue the FP server extensions---or---A Microsoft Server and learn how to simply connect to a database and display the results without using the wizards built into FP (our suggestion and preference).
Here is a great company that we've had wonderful experience with as one of their clients. Hosting for as little as $11 per month. Ask them about FP extensions. http://www.hostmysite.com/hosting/foundation/

_____________________________

FrontPageTools.com:Templates, Tools and Training support this forum

Report Abuse | Date: 8/21/2008 7:39:12 AM

LeslieFL

Posts: 4
Member since: 8/21/2008

RE: Hosting for FrontPage site with ... (in reply to LeslieFL)

Thank you so much for the info! I have my hosting account set up now, and I'm just waiting for the DNS setting changes to take effect, and then I can upload and find out if the work I have done so far is right.

Long-term, I want to learn MySQL/PHP, but in the meantime, I wanted to get the site and database built and working. I figured I can convert it later.

Thank you again for your help!! I hope it's ok that I may have other questions down the road.

Report Abuse | Date: 8/22/2008 7:12:30 AM

TexasWebDevelopers

Posts: 7039
Member since: 9/24/2002
From: USA

RE: Hosting for FrontPage site with ... (in reply to LeslieFL)

MySQL/PHP is easy to learn--so is Access/ASP. Choice is really, again, what you want to do with it. Many open source applications are written in PHP on Linux because the platform is essentially very low cost (Microsoft server software costs more than Linux server software). However, we made the decision 16 years ago to go with the Microsoft platform and languages (ASP and now .NET) because that's what most businesses use (especially in the enterprise). We'd be happy to help you with any ASP/Access/SQL server issues here on the forum.

_____________________________

FrontPageTools.com:Templates, Tools and Training support this forum

Report Abuse | Date: 8/22/2008 8:39:13 AM

LeslieFL

Posts: 4
Member since: 8/21/2008

RE: Hosting for FrontPage site with ... (in reply to LeslieFL)

Thank you again. :-) I'm so glad I found this forum. The more I learn, the more I realize how much I still don't know.

I've been kind of bouncing around like a pinball over whether I should be learning MySQL/PHP first, or ASP. I'm kind of clueless about all of it at this point, and hearing different bits of advice from different people. I'm very comfortable with Access, though, and with FrontPage, individually, so I am guessing that ASP will be the easiest for me to learn. I've been using Access at my day job for about 10 years, and I've learned a lot as I've improved our database. But that's software, with wizards and design views. When it comes to anything involving actual coding, I'm still a novice with some basic html experience and that's about it.

I'm not afraid to try, though, and willing to learn and figure things out.

I do have another question. I'm not quite ready to start working on this phase of the project yet, but is it possible to build a membership website with FrontPage and Access? (Where members can log in with a password and can each have a profile that users can see when they click the person's username, and I could offer free and paid memberships with different perks and privileges.) When I get to that point, I can start looking into how to do it, but I figured I ought to make sure whether it's possible first.

Thanks again!

Report Abuse | Date: 8/22/2008 10:21:57 AM

TexasWebDevelopers

Posts: 7039
Member since: 9/24/2002
From: USA

RE: Hosting for FrontPage site with ... (in reply to LeslieFL)

Your tiered membership system is fairly easy but not something you should try to code yourself. A developer can put that together for you for under $100. We have code-in-the-can that we include in web sites that also operates as a stand-alone registration/membership system. When you get close to that point let me know and I'll give you a working demo to play with.
Access as a stand-alone database application and Access for the web are two different animals entirely. Naming conventions for field names are important and names can't have spaces, etc.
Here is a brief SQL tutorial:
http://www.texaswebdevelopers.com/examples/sql_intro.asp
Restricted words in Access:
http://www.texaswebdevelopers.com/examples/access_limitations.asp#top
Here is a simple form that posts to a database; sends the user to a thank you page; and display sthe results in an attractive way WITHOUT using Front Page extensions! Here is the application featuring full code ready to upload with a working example. It's easier than you think......
http://www.texaswebdevelopers.com/examples/textarea2database/
Here is a simple page that will connect to a database and write out the fields:
http://expression-frontpage.com/forums/t/86.aspx

_____________________________

FrontPageTools.com:Templates, Tools and Training support this forum

Report Abuse | Date: 8/22/2008 10:40:53 AM