Java and networking; best method?

Question

I am writing a manufacturing application where the DB will reside on a server. I need multiple computers utilizing the application concurrently.
Is there any reason why each workstation couldn't have a copy of the application and simply point to, and access, the DB on the server?
Or should the application also reside on the server with client applications on the workstations?
I am concerned that the latter may be best but more programming.
Looking for advice and opinions.
TIA

Answer 1

import java.sql.*;
public class ProdUpdate
private static final String
SOURCE_URL = "jdbc:odbc:Produits"
, DRIVER_CLASS_NAME = "sun.jdbc.odbc.JdbcOdbcDriver"
private Connection dbConnection;
public ProdUpdate ()
dbConnection = null;
CreateConnection ();
public void CreateConnection ()
// Possible exception cases:
// -- driver class not found (Class.forName (String))
// -- SQL problem (database not there!)
try
// -- Load the driver class
Class.forName (DRIVER_CLASS_NAME);
dbConnection = DriverManager.getConnection (SOURCE_URL);
catch (ClassNotFoundException cnfe)
System.err.println (cnfe.getMessage ());
catch (SQLException sqle)
System.err.println (sqle.getMessage ());
public void ListProdUpdate ()
final String ProdNumb = "Select * From 04PRODUI";
try
System.out.println ("Connection:");
if (dbConnection == null)
          System.err.println ("Connection not created properly");
Statement stmt = dbConnection.createStatement ();
ResultSet results = stmt.executeQuery (ProdNumb);
System.out.println ("The ProdNumb are:");
while (results.next ())
System.out.println (results.getString ("PNUM"));
results.close ();
catch (SQLException sqle)
System.err.println (sqle.getMessage ());
public void CloseConnection ()
if (dbConnection != null)
// Possible exception cases:
// -- SQL problem (database not open!)
try
dbConnection.close ();
catch (SQLException sqle)
System.err.println (sqle.getMessage ());
dbConnection = null; // simplify garbage collection
public static void main (String [] args)
ProdUpdate pb = new ProdUpdate ();
pb.ListProdUpdate ();
pb.CloseConnection ();
and I received
Not data found
Connection not created properly
... NullPointerException