The Scenario:
I have a small real estate site remotely hosted with an Access backend. The MLS (or property listing service) where the realtors update their listings is a third party company that I have no affiliation with. They understandably do not allow me(us) to connect to their database directly. They export this data nightly as a comma or tab delimited text file.

The Question:
Is there anyway I can take this text file and have it automatically update the Access database (remotely hosted) when new files are uploaded via FTP? - or - does anyone have an idea how I should go about working around this issue, besides manually updating the Access DB and uploading it again everyday?

Any help or idea is greatly appreciated.

First, let me say that your design skills are awesome. I checked out your portfolio.

I am very familiar with your situation. My business is real estate solutions -- particularly IDX type scenarios.

I assume the 3rd party is the IDX source (presumably the state MLS board?). I have worked out similar solutions with remotely stored, zipped, CSV files (and zipped images). However I chose a .php solution. Can you employ a .php/mySql solution? I ask this because there are more options (easier options?) via .php.

Phil
www.real-systems.net

maybe would could collaborate...

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maybe would could collaborate...
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Thanks a lot. You hit the nail on the head with the IDX. Unfortunately, the site is hosted on a WIN 2000 Webserver and Access is the DB. I checked out your site too and it looks like you're doing exactly what I'm trying to do. I would definitely be interested in collaborating. Please feel free to contact me directly as well:

I forgot to say that PHP is an option, MySQL on the other hand isn't with this particular project.

I hope i have this right. What is happening is the client is uploading a text file everynight and you want it to automatically link.
I ran into the same situation a few years ago.
What you have to do in the access database is link the text file then create a query in access with the text file. And us the query to display the data.
Thats the easy part. Now what will happen is that if you created the database on one computer and upload it to another the linking of the text file still has the path that was on the originating computer. So it will not be able to find that link text file. In access go to tools slide down to databas utilities and click on linked table manager. We have it set up on our site so that vendors can check sales and I upload a text file every night without going through all the hassle of importing updating jazz.

Hi, thanks for replying to the post. I was trying out what you suggested and I'm obviously missing something. When clicking on the "linked table manager", it only let's me refresh the connection on my workstation. How can I change the path of the linked file. Once uploaded to the server, does the linked CSV/Text file need to reside in the same folder as the DB, or does that not matter?

Thanks again for your input.

One way is to have access on the server itself and to link it through that way. Another is when your in the linked table manager check the "Always prompt for a new location box" Now go to Look In drop down box and slide down to ftp locations and you may have to det up a ftp to find that text file on their server. You may have trouble with it that it cannot find or check your file path so besure file permissions are set. This Does take some tinkering but after you get it going it works wonderful(you just cant edit the data in the linked text file)
But on the other hand if you can get into that database and alter the linked text files path(I mean program wise) then go that route(I tried and figured it would take to long)