Alborg, if you want to save images in the database, in any database you do it as a BLOB(BINARY LARGE OBJECT). Access does have the ability to store images; however, that is not the issue.
Most document management systems DO NOT STORE the images in the database, instead they store the "the image location" in a column. So you would create a directory, c:\myapplication\images. You would have a standard naming convention for each image filename. In a law firm, for example, you would used a convention like
clientID_CaseID_DocType_Version_DocDate. The naming convention allows you to identify the document even if you do not have access to the database.
From a network security aspect, you would grant access to the file location to the application, not to individual users. You would then control the user access by controlling their access in their database rights.
Another reason for doing this, is that you have to "stream" images into and out of the database in order to "present" them to the UI (User Interface). This can generate a lot of load on the server in a very small environment, say of 5 or 10 people.
But you do not have to take my word for it. Bert has developed a EDM (electronic document management) application FAP. Ask him if he stores his images in the database.
Your second reason for going to SQL Server was the use of Ink. Inking has nothing to do with the database but rather with the programming platform, .Net vs VB6.
What has happened here Alborg, is that you gave three (3) major reasons for NOT USING SQL server:
1) the governor
2) no need to store BLOBS
3) no need for ink
I have demonstrated to you that all three of those reasons are either incorrect or have no relevance in the decision to move to a SQL Server database.
I apologize if you feel I have been condescending. Saying you have been "programming" for 15 years does not tell me anything, especially when some of the reasons you give for not using SQL date back to 2000 (SQL Server 2000/MSDE).
AddendumIn medicine, you physicians are REQUIRED to take a certain number of CME courses and in order to remain Board Certified, you have to take an exam every X number of years. The purpose of these CME's and Exams is to ensure that physicians are well versed in the most modern and relevant treatment modalities/techniques/standards which will allow them to deliver the best product(medicine) to their customers(patients).
Well the same principle applies in software design/development. For me, it is not about using the latest Microsoft Fluff, but rather embracing the newer technologies which make development of software easier.
Let me give you an example: One of the most difficult things to do is to develop a web application. It requires you know HTML, JavaScript, your web technology (ASP.net, PHP), a programming Language (VB, C#, Perl), understand database design and access language. All of this just to present a single web page with data to the Client. Microsoft has been developing over the past 3 years a new technology called SilverLight, which promises to be an upgrade over current web development, by replacing the HTML, JavaScript layer and allowing you to write VB, or C# on the client. This will be in the official release of Silverlight 2.0. This holds great promise however, until it is actually released with that capability, I do not intend to embrace it. There are not enough hours in the day, for me to waste with technology that is not mature, no matter how promising!!!
www.silverlight.netEnd Addendum I will not argue with you about how you treat a patient, but you intend to argue with me ad infinitum about software design/development...something you do as a hobbyist and not professional.
