Hi guys,

I am looking at database applications to create a simple(ish) database/frontend for a press department.

The idea is that press releases and clippings/media clips of company coverage will be stored in the DB, and press releases can be exported to XML files (to be formatted using InDesign for printing and emailing).

The requirements are:
- SIMPLE to set up (ie the front end GUI should be part of the application, and not require VS2008 or Delphi to program).
- Can handle large attachments (binary data - PDF, AVI, MOV, WAV, MP3 etc) without falling over or slowing down.
- Custom XML export of records: for example, at the press of a button, an XML file of a record can be exported.
- Ideally, buttons can be created in the GUI to launch batch files or VBScripts (we are entirely Windows based).
- A multi user system is not required, but the database will be stored on a server machine.

I have been looking at FileMaker, 4D v11, and MS Access.

Access is out because I have read a lot about how hard it can be to handle large files in Access, and searching can take forever.

Thoughts on 4D and FM would be appreciated, as well as any other suggestions you may have!

Many thanks for your help,

Martin Hughes