General DB question...

Anon

Hi all.

ok here is the deal. I need to create an "interactive demo" where a user can come in and run through the services that we offer in some what of a test environment. What I need to do is create a backend database with one "made up" guy who each of the users pretend to be when they log in. Once they are logged in, I want them to be able to sign up for services and check the status of other services - all of this data needs to be stored in the same database as temporary information and then when the user logs off, it is all erased and back to square one for the next user to use...

I am not really sure where to start. Well, I have a db started in Access, but where do I go from here?

Thanks!

Anon

You definitely need that info to be stored in a database, rather than session data or something like that? Unless I'm underestimating the scope of the project, that's generally a much more appropriate manner to store one-use information.

Another question: can the application potentially be accessed by more than one simultaneous user? If so, that one temporary "guy" won't do...you'll need to be able to generate as many temps as you need, deleting them once they're done. And again, that's generally not the ideal situation for database storage.

-Jeremy

Anon

Valid points that I seem to be addressing as well.

First point; no it definitely does not need to be stored in a database at all. I (and other people had suggested) was just thinking that is what needed to be done but if you think that other way is correct than I am all for it...

Second point; originally we thought that this application was only going to be accessed by one user at a time but it is looking more and more like there could potentially be many users at one time.

My only thoughts about the database are that I can think one instance where it will be necessary. Say the user logs in and they want to see some of their "account activity" from the past. Won't this data need to be prepopulated in the db and permanently stored there?

Thanks for your help so far...