I really want to build a Desktop database application. I can build what I want to achieve with Microsoft Access though from experience, due to the shear amount of vba used in my last attempt it really slows things down. I would like to incorporate C++ to build a database app.

I may be a little naive on this subject but please bear with he. I'm using Windows XP, I want to build something portable, I will need to hold at least as much as if not more data than Microsoft access can.

From what I can gather is this (from what I've read on the internet).
I want to build a desktop database application using SQLite. I know that SQLite is written in C and will need a C compiler to compile it. I also want to build a GUI for displaying information (information dashboard), entering data and creating reports on and all those things you can do with access. (I told you I was naive on the subject). I'm not looking for a RAD tool. Part of the effort will be a learning experience.

So I'll need a GUI, a RDBMS and a C/C++ compiler. My questions are below.

1 - Is there a good C/C++ compiler out there that I can use to build A GUI with and compile both my C++ program and the SQLite d'base. I know Visual C++ will let me build GUI's and compile. Are there alternatives which are free or not too expensive.

2 - If I do use a C/C++ compiler can I compile the database and the program into one exe file?

3 - Can I run an exe file compiled in this way on windows and linux? Portability is the key here and I may end up taking it places where not Microsoft Office is installed in the PC. The PC may even be running with Linux.

4 - I have not doubt there's allot of misconceptions here, if you can piece this together for me a little clearer than I have put it (in english if you can) that would be greatly appreciated. If there's something I should read to understand these questions better would you mind directing me. I have a few years to get this together so there's time.

Thanks very much.
Hope my question is clear enough.

dominover

if you are going down the route of portability and this is a learning exercise then it may be worth considering Java in place of C++

there are free C++ compilers available, but there may be a better selection in the Linux world than the Windows world. As I don't use C++ I dunno.

Should you go down the java route (which can be a hostile world if you are more used to VB/VBA, perhaps less so if you are used to more recent versions of vb.net) you will have full access to all manner of tools & classes such as swing to handle the UI. supposeldy java is portable between windows, Apple OS & Linux.
http://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&cp=9&...w=1920&bih=995

Im pretty certain that you can get similar toolkits for C++, Im pretty certain that the development if such toolkits / classes in Java follows on from ideas frist kicked around in C++ and other languages

Java also has a couple of IDE's (Eclipse and Netbeans, not doubt there are others). lots of plugins to tailor your IDE for your development process.
and all are FoC

As to SQLLite there are precompiled binaries available
SQLite Download Page