Google Answers: Open database from link on web page

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Q: Open database from link on web page ( No Answer, 5 Comments )

Question

Subject: Open database from link on web page
Category: Computers > Programming
Asked by: jfhald1234-ga
List Price: $10.00

Posted: 12 Apr 2005 08:57 PDT
Expires: 12 May 2005 08:57 PDT
Question ID: 508353

I need to open a link to a Microsoft Access database (mdb file with
security) from a web page.  I don't want it to open in the web page,
rather I want the Access program to open separately by clicking the
link to it on the web page.

Answer

There is no answer at this time.

Comments

Subject: Re: Open database from link on web page
From: willcodeforfood-ga on 12 Apr 2005 16:36 PDT

Does each user already have a local copy of the Access database you
want to launch, or do you want the browser to download your copy of
the Access database and open it?

Access cannot open inside the browser, so opening as a separate
application (process) is the only possibility here.

Subject: Re: Open database from link on web page
From: jfhald1234-ga on 13 Apr 2005 06:27 PDT

The mdb file is on a network drive that we all have permission to use.
 By the way, I tried moving the mdb file to the web server but it
still would not open from the link I created to it.  Thanks!

Subject: Re: Open database from link on web page
From: willcodeforfood-ga on 13 Apr 2005 09:46 PDT

I tried a simple HTML file like this and it worked for me.

<html>
<body>
<a href="p:\acct\db1.mdb">db1.mdb</a>
</body>
</html>

Keep in mind that each user needs to have Access installed on their
computer or they will just end up downloading a copy of the mdb file
that the link points to.  Each user must also have the same drive or
fileshare mappping for the link to work (p:\acct\ share in my
example).  Most browsers should give the user a security warning
before allowing Access to open since launching another process outside
of the browser is normally considered a security risk.

Subject: Re: Open database from link on web page
From: harbourt-ga on 17 Apr 2005 23:01 PDT

Adding to willcodeforfood-ga's comment:

Just wanted to add that you can use the UNC path as a slight
alternative to a common mapped drive:

<html>
<body>
<a href="\\SERVERNAME\DIRECTORY\DATABASEFILE.mdb">DATABASEFILE.mdb</a>
</body>
</html>

NOTE: All this negates is the need for a mapped drive.  Security
warnings etc will still apply.

NOTE2: Technically you should also probably list the protocol such as:
"file://", which would make it:

<a href="file://\\SERVERNAME\DIRECTORY\DATABASEFILE.mdb">DATABASEFILE.mdb</a>

Subject: Re: Open database from link on web page
From: jfhald1234-ga on 18 Apr 2005 11:43 PDT

I tried both of your examples and the same thing happens, I get that
The Page Cannot be Found message in IE.  When I hold the Ctrl key down
in Frontpage it opens right up.

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