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Software and Games : Software Categories : Programming & Web Development : Databases & Reporting : Access
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Microsoft
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Microsoft
Office Access 2003 is a database manager, which makes it suitable for storing structured data such as catalogues, stock records or customer lists. Using Office Access 2003, you can also create data entry forms, queries and reports, or complete applications programmed using VBA (Visual Basic for Applications). All these elements are saved to a single .MDB file, making it easy to copy and distribute Access database projects.The popularity of Access is based on several strong features. The interface is clean and uncluttered, and you can open data tables in a familiar spreadsheet-like view. There is a visual query builder, or you can write queries in SQL, the standard database query language. Advanced features let you enforce relational integrity between tables and set validation constraints on fields. There is also an excellent report designer. The Access database engine is not suitable for very large databases, but you can scale up by switching to Microsoft's SQL Server or an ODBC database while still using the same visual tools. New in Office Access 2003 is automatic error-checking in forms, integrated support for transforming data with XSL (an XML standard), and the ability to link to lists in SharePoint Services as a convenient way to share data. A small but welcome detail is control over the font used in the SQL editor, which was fixed at a small size in earlier versions.
This is a capable product and generally a pleasure to use. The main gripe against it is that even Microsoft's wizards do not make relational database applications easy to build. FileMaker is better for non-specialists, but Office Access 2003 wins on Office integration and more comprehensive features. --Tim Anderson
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Microsoft
If you use a PC, you almost certainly use the Office "productivity suite". Access 2002 is the database package in Microsoft's new version--Office XP. XP includes all the familiar applications--Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook and FrontPage as well as Access. New features across the range, such as Task Panes, Smart Tags and integrated e-mail, aim to make the various applications more tightly integrated than ever as a package and squeeze that much more functionality out of each of the programs. Task Panes are dynamic windows that pop up in response to specific actions you're performing within a document; suggesting, formatting or mail merge options, for example. Smart Tags, meanwhile, are icons that appear when you perform a particular task. Hover over them and a dropdown menu appears.Access is a sophisticated database package that should please beginners and experienced users alike. The focus is increasingly on supporting data-driven Web sites--e-commerce operations with ever-growing customer lists spring to mind. And even non-programmers should find it simple to weave Web pages linked to both Access and SQL Server databases.
Data Access Pages allows you to save any form or report in HTML/XML format meaning that you can instantly transform any of your forms into Web pages. And analysis and presentation of data is simplified with the PivotTables and PivotCharts features. Simply drag the fields you want to analyse to the relevant area and they will be displayed as a table or chart. --John Rennie
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Microsoft
If you use a PC, you almost certainly use the Office "productivity suite". Access 2002 is the database package in Microsoft's new version--Office xp. Xp includes all the familiar applications--Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook and FrontPage as well as Access. New features across the range, such as Task Panes, Smart Tags and integrated e-mail, aim to make the various applications more tightly integrated than ever as a package and squeeze that much more functionality out of each of the programs. Task Panes are dynamic windows that pop up in response to specific actions you're performing within a document; suggesting, formatting or mail merge options, for example. Smart Tags, meanwhile, are icons that appear when you perform a particular task. Hover over them and a dropdown menu appears.Access is a sophisticated database package that should please beginners and experienced users alike. The focus is increasingly on supporting data-driven Web sites--e-commerce operations with ever-growing customer lists spring to mind. And even non-programmers should find it simple to weave Web pages linked to both Access and SQL Server databases.
Data Access Pages allows you to save any form or report in HTML/XML format meaning that you can instantly transform any of your forms into Web pages. And analysis and presentation of data is simplified with the PivotTables and PivotCharts features. Simply drag the fields you want to analyse to the relevant area and they will be displayed as a table or chart. John Rennie
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Microsoft
