Limited number of records

[JohnM]

I have created a .net application that I am selling to families on a CD. It uses an access data base. When the user starts the app, they must enter their initials and a 3-digit code. During the application they make selections (about 40) from various data grids, their selections are updated into an access database at the end of the app. The next user can then get on, enter their own initials and 3-digit code and then make their selections, creating another inique record. Question how do I know the limit that the application can handle in terms of the number of records in the access data base? Doesn't it at some point explode the application? Thank you for your time.
John M

 

[cjard]

given that the biggest access table i've seen was more than a million rows, I think you should concentrate on another problem first..

 

[vis781]

2 Gig is about as big as an Access 2003 database can get on it's own, but then if you move on to linking tables then it is only limited by the amount of storage on your disk.

 

[cjard]

*but each table in an access db can only be max 1 gig

 

[JohnM]

clarify my question

Thank you for the information. Please bear with me on this. The table that gets updated in my app is somehow in the CD. I am not knowledgeable about how the app is able to utilized Access when the user when he installs the app doesn't need to have access on his pc. But .net somehow has that ability to utilize Access. So when the user uses the apps and starts creating an access record within the app, isn't there a very limited number of records that can be created within the app?

It not like someone utilizing Access on their PC and creating records, there must be a very limited number of records allowed to be created within the app. NO ??? John M

 

[Arg81]

So the program runs off the CD? It doesn't install to their PC?

If the program is running from the CD, any data that they are writing to the access database (assuming this is in the bin folder of the project WHICH IS running off the CD) will not be saved...

If the program installs itself to the computer from the CD (i.e. it's only an installer on the CD) then the table(s) can get to about 1Gb each, as long as disk storage on the PC allows.

The application can utilise Access from within because it uses ODBC calls to coonect to "Jet" (the actual database).
However, if any changes were needed to be done on the database backend (i.e. a change of data in case entered wrong), you will need to make sure your app can accomodate this by allowing the user to edit a row...

 

[cjard]

But .net somehow has that ability to utilize Access.

Access is Microsoft's front end for a database technology called "Jet"
There is no such thing as an "access database" - they are Jet databases

If it helps, think of it like HTML pages. You dont call an HTML document an "Internet Explorer Document" and you dont need Internet Explorer installed to read web pages.. you can use firefox, opera, or maybe you dont even have a PC

So.. get out of the habit of calling things "Access database" "Access record"

there must be a very limited number of records allowed to be created within the app. NO ??? John M

Why must there?

Access uses the Jet engine to edit a Jet database
Your app uses the Jet Engine to edit a Jet database

Your app is subject to the same restrictions as access. Your app and Access are EFFECTIVELY THE SAME THING - they both edit database via the jet engine


Oh and what vbnewb said was bang on; CDs are a read-only medium. You cant edit the database on the CD

 

[JohnM]

Thank you for this help

Thank you everyone for helping me understand what is really happening when the user in my application updates information.

John Matthew