Get data from remote MySQL database

I'm writing a set of applications that run on multiple clients' PCs and need to access a remote (server-side) MySQL database.

Having an application running on the server and listening for connections is not an option.

Having direct connections from the apps to the database (such as with myODBC, myVBQL) is also not an option.

The only method I have worked out is to browse to a php webpage in a hidden webbrowser object, sending user/password for authentication...

Then if the user is verified, the webpage outputs the required data to hidden html form objects. The number of fields is variable so first it has to send the number of following objects...

Then the vb app reads this html code and strips out the data.

HELP! This is horribly messy and inefficient, but I can't think of any other way to get it to work given those 2 limitations. Coding everything as php/webpages would be even worse and almost certainly wouldn't work anyway.

How else can I do this? Thanks!

Hi,


Well. Not easy to use a non naturel way... Even if the number of the fields returned are not the same, if the data response is structured (See if there is a common format for the part of mysql data written in the web page...) use MSHTML as a new reference belonging to your vb project (Microsoft HTML Object library).

Then use your resulting web page as a simple HTML document object with this HTML interface for VB = each part of the information in HTML tags are viewed and used as objects in different type of lists. For example you can update properties values of a HTML array cell, get the third URL in the page...etc.

What is it your trying to achive. I'm not sure?

You want to use MySQL but you cant runn anything on your server?

MySQL by itsvery nature is designed to be 'server-side' that is why it's called an SQL server. If you can't connect to it, you can't connect to it.

Why can't you use MyODBC Etc. understanding the reasoning my help find a solution.

If it's your server you could build a socket server to act as go between, or move the default socket if it is in conflict.

If I can understand more i may be able to help.