"Cloudfall" <SydneyCloudf***@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1132190256.494492.35460@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
> There is a business requirement to generate various reports on the
> performance of our eCommerce facility. It has been proposed to use
> Microsoft Access 97 as a front end to a Microsoft SQL Server 2005
> database. Queries could be generated using Access "Queries" design
> view, and formatted if necessary for a better look using facilities in
> "Reports" design view. We are beginning to realise that this either may
> not be possible, or may not be the best way to go about things. It will
> be MY responsibility to generate the reports.
>
> The eCommerce facility (owned and operated by a third party on our
> behalf) can supply us with the XML files for each of the "orders",
> "change orders", "invoices" etc. that have gone through the facility.
> My thinking was that someone could create a relational database for all
> these documents and also write a program that would take the XML files,
> extract the information from the XML structure and populate the dB
> tables with the data (is this a parser? My brief excursions on the net
> seem to indicate that W3 parsers check XML files to only determine if
> the XML is well-formed.). I could then create the queries in the Access
> query grid.
>
> I've just finished a discussion with the manager whose responsibilities
> it is to supervise the generation of these reports. He believes that
> the Microsoft SQL Server 2005 database can store all the XML
> transaction files and, because of the structured nature of XML, have
> reports produced using "XML queries", whatever these are. He believes
> that the creation of a database simply for use as a support mechanism
> for report generation is a large (expensive?) task that is unnecessary.
>
> He wants to send me on a three-day "Microsoft SQL Server 2005" course.
> This course has as one of eight key topics "Using XML in SQL Server
> 2005". This is the only mention of XML. My gut feeling is that I will
> not be able to create somewhat complicated Select queries (transaction
> summaries by quarter, etc) after such a brief introduction to XML. Is
> there anywhere on the net where I could practice creating XML select
> queries? There are plenty of places to practice SQL select queries.
>
> We would be grateful for any suggestions as to what the situation is,
> what we should do, and so on. Please be aware that I am not a rude
> person but you will not get a response from me for several days as I am
> off work tomorrow (Friday) and will not be accessing this group until
> next week sometime. I am in the middle of moving desks so boxes will
> need to be packed and unpacked and computers and systems are guaranteed
> not to work properly for several days based on many, many moves
> suffered in the past.
>
> If there are no responses I will understand. This is a relatively new
> field which is not swarming with experts. I have found, however, that
> simply composing a posting where the problem is clearly spelt out tends
> to focus the issues in my mind and leads to clearer thought and a
> better solution. Thank you and have a good weekend.
>

"Cloudfall" <SydneyCloudf***@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1132543202.153609.147300@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> Michael,
>
> Thank you for your response in relation to this matter. The person in
> charge of this project now wants me to investigate using MySQL for this
> purpose. However, I will be following up your suggestions in the first
> instance.
>
> Yours gratefully,
>
> Terry R.
>