I'm planning to create a VB application and am trying to figure out how
to best store the DB.  The DB tables can have as much as 500,000 records
in them and can be well over 100MB in size.

Which DB format will work best with VB.  I want the queries to run
quick.  Will storing the DB in Foxpro take advantage of FoxPro's
Rushmore technology.  What about an SQL Server?

Thanks

Sailesh

If you have the money to implement SQL Server and a good number of
concurrent users, I would go with SQL Server.  It is a true
client/server implementation and you will get better performance,
improved reliability, transaction processing, data security, to name a
few features.

Second, I would go with Access.  A VB application that uses a FoxPro
database goes through the Jet database engine anyway, so you lose some
overhead by using FoxPro.

You can develop your initial prototype with a standalone Access
database and upsize it to SQL Server very easily.

Jerry Helms
Intelligent Information Systems

We came across this problem not to long ago with 900,000+ records that have
to go on CD-ROM. Access is just too slow on pure many to many relational
queries.

What we discovered is a product called Codebase 6.0 by Sequiter software.

This database engine uses xBase (Foxpro, DBASE, Clipper [if anyone uses
clipper???]), with full ability to use production indexes.

Also it's fast and can handle a standard querie of 500,000 records in around
1 second.

To have a look at it go to http://www.sequiter.com/ and read the specs. Its
also only $495 for the complete thing (including a strange reporting program
and some good VBX controls), it includes the source code for the DLL as
well.

To see it in action get a copy of Corel's ALL MOVIE GUIDE or Symantec ACT
they both use it (thats where we found out about it actually by trying to
figure out \how corels quireis were so quick).

Grame Thompson
Alpharian Solutions - Australia
http://www.strata.net.au/users/alpharia

If you are thinking about a true client/server db, you're going
to have to take a hard look at cost factors as well. A SQL Server
implementation will require some high-performance server hardware
as well as fairly expensive server software, client access
licenses, etc. Also, its less likely to be something you can
install and walk away from unless the site already has a SQL
admin who can manage the server side. If these factors aren't an
issue, you might want to go to SQL Server from the beginning,
otherwise you could consider starting with VB/Access and
"upsizing" to SQL later.

Regarding FoxPro and Access, both now use Rushmore for query
optimization. (In fact, Rushmore is one of the reasons that MS
acquired FoxPro, as I understand it. The other was to get a "foot
in the door" for moving xBase developers to SQL Server.)

Joe

Never underestimate the power of a WAG.

http://www.citilink.com/~jgarrick