Need to be pointed in right direction. ASP/FLASH8 + (SQL or Acces Db?)

[Hobbes]

Hey Guys,
So I am obviously new to the forum and after tons of googling found you guys, and think you might be able to point me in the right direction. Heres my problem, I have been given a project that is a bit out of my capabilities and knowledge. At the moment I have created what is ostensibly a game/test in Flash 8.

Brief description of the game:
Its a learning exercise, where the user logs in with a name and password. The user is given a case to solve, throughout the case the user can order tests, which cost the user points. The user then attempts to solve the case with the highest score.

What I need to accomplish:
Connect the game to a access or SQL database, I could go either way and have a SQL server if it calls for it.
At the moment I believe access might be better suited because I think the user database will be small between 20-100 users
I believe the best way to integrate the game with a database would be ASP?

What the database needs to track:
I need authentication against a user name and password database. To get the user into the game
I need to be able to track which tests the student orders, so that if they close the browser or refresh the page, their progress is still recorded.
Optimally, I would like to track the time from initial login to completion.


Software: Flash 8, Web Expression 2, SQL Server running Microsoft SQL 2008?

My Capabilities: Most of my previous programming work was in Java, I utilized a lot of basic Action Script to make the game, which runs standalone at the moment. I have virtually no experience with ASP and SQL/DB .

So what do I need to read: books, threads, tutorials? Im sorry, I didn't even really know what to search for. Every article/tutorial I have read on this issue seems to be massively out of date. I am willing to learn, I just would like some general places to focus my learning efforts.

Thanks for any help. Sorry if this post is in the wrong forum

Edit: One more thing, I am not married to any of these methods necessarily, I just do not know how easy it will be for me to get php onto the server since I am not an admin. At the moment only ASP is installed. If there is a better, simpler way to do what I want to do, I am all for that.

[Jorge Solis]

If you want to use .Net, then SQL Server is a database, Access is more a desktop DB not really a serious one for web in production. If you can use PHP/MySQL you will have plenty of examples around there, just a few with other technologies. If you find tutorials outdated, I guess you're using AS3, so take a look to http://www.flash-db.com/Tutorials/loadingAS3 and http://www.flash-db.com/Tutorials/savingAS3 for loading/saving data to a database

Jorge

[Hobbes]

Hey Jorge,
So I have been working off your tutorials, for the the AS2 not AS3. I have AS2 I believe since I only have 8. I got the load one working, currently working on the send thing.

For the problem I described in the OP, do I need to do the remote w/ amfphp/CF/.Net or do you think I can get by with the name/value method?

Thanks for the Help!

[Ronald Wernecke]

Hi Hobbes, welcome from me too.

Whether you use variable=value pairs, remoting or XML for datatransport relies on the complexity of your application.
For two or three values, it might be overpowered using remoting.
But, if you have a complex datastructure, you just cannot do without.
For small structured data, you might want to use XML (even though I personaly would use remoting as well ).
Flash itself does not care what kind of server language you are using. It expects the values in the datastream.
Any system providing this, does it.