Microsoft Access allows you to include attachments in database tables. You may store photos, graphics, documents and other files in your Access database using Microsoft's Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) technology.

Read the full article: How to Include Attachments in an Access Database

In a recent forum message, kpalser wrote:

"I need some recommendations for software to develop a database with good client GUI synchronization, i.e: a multiuser database solution where clients will display data without the need for a manual refresh. For example, if one user updates a record from a client application, other clients currently viewing the same record will automatically show the updated data.

To date I have used FileMaker, which is great for rapidly developing solutions. However, since the front end and data back end are not separated it is not very scalable. Imagine different companies are using independent copies of the same solution. Every time you need to update the solution you would manually have to make changes for each company or re-import their records into the new version of the solution. Although Filemaker supports ODBC connections to technologies like MySQL, the clients often need some form of user intervention to trigger the synchronization of viewed data .

To date I've only come across one viable alternative - Servoy. It has a good client GUI synchronization and the added plus of being able to specify a variety of data sources and being very platform independent. But It is a little pricey for client licenses.

Are there any more alternatives out there? In summary, I would like to hear about any technologies which could handle the client synchronization."

Do you have any advice for kpalser? Interested in solutions to the same problem? Visit the About Databases forum and join the discussion!

The Structured Query Language (SQL) forms the backbone of all relational databases. This language offers a flexible interface for databases of all shapes and sizes and is used as the basis for all user and administrator interactions with the database.

In the free Learning SQL Course, you'll learn the basics of using SQL to store, retrieve and manipulate information in a database.

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With the introduction of SQL Server 2008, Microsoft answered the pleas of many database professionals by introducing revamped date and time . These new data types allow designers to easily work with time zones, dates without times (and vice versa) and dates in ancient history and far into the future. In this article, we take a look at the date and time data types available to users of SQL Server 2008.

Read the full article: SQL Server 2008 Date and Time Data Types