Migrate from Access 2010 / VBA

[Wolfgang Keller]

> I am the lone developer of db apps at a company of 350+ employees.
> Everything is done in MS Access 2010 and VBA. I'm frustrated with the
> limitations of this platform and have been considering switching to
> Python.
>
> I've been experimenting with the language for a year or so,
> and feel comfortable with the basics. 
> 
> I am concerned that I'll have a hard time replacing the access form
> and report designers. I've worked a little with TKinter, but it's a
> far cry from the GUI designer in Access.

The list of Python frameworks for rapid development of desktop 
(i.e. non-Web) database applications currently contains: 

using PyQt (& Sqlalchemy): 
Pypapi: www.pypapi.org 
Camelot: www.python-camelot.com 
Qtalchemy: www.qtalchemy.org 

using PyGTK: 
Sqlkit: sqlkit.argolinux.org (also uses Sqlalchemy) 
Kiwi: www.async.com.br/projects/kiwi 

using wxPython: 
Dabo: www.dabodev.com 
Defis: sourceforge.net/projects/defis (Russian only) 
GNUe: www.gnuenterprise.org 

Pypapi, Camelot, Sqlkit and Dabo seem to be the most active and best 
documented/supported ones. 

> Finding a professional grade report designer looks like an even
> bigger challenge.

LibreOffice is imho quite useful for database reporting. It comes with a
native (SDBC) driver for PostgreSQL and allows Python scripting.
LibreOffice Base can even be useful for CRUD GUIs.
 
> I don't need to port any applications, but I will need to use the
> data (mdb/accede format),

Don't. Put your data into an *actually* transaction-safe RDBMS (which
"Jet" is *not*), such as e.g. PostgreSQL.

> design a variety of reports with multi-level groupings, and deliver
> them to many individual recipients via email.

Sincerely,

Wolfgang