I'm new at using a database on a web site. I'm setting up a very simple
database for a client. It has 13,000 records and may grow to 60,000 over
time. It only has four fields per record and people will only be searching
on one field.

So...I set up a test using Access and it works great. The thing is, the
database is 6 megs now and will only get bigger. They'll be updating it
steadily using Filemaker Pro and I'll have to convert it and upload it (and
test it, of course).

My question is: In playing around I see a DBF file is tons smaller. It looks
to be about 25% the size. What are the pros and cons to using Access vs.
DBF? If in this simple case DBF will work as well and be a smaller size,
why not go that way?

Any thoughts?

THANKS!

Have you compacted the database?

Yes, but that's not my main point. I'm still really trying to find out the
pros and cons to using an Access .mdb file as opposed to a .DBF file.

- Is one faster to search than the other when used on a web site?

- Is one less subject to corruption?

- Does it make any difference at all or should I just go with whichever is a
smaller file and works for me?

THANKS!


"Jason W. Paul" <nobody (AT) nowhere (DOT) com> wrote