Re: Interactive Interface for Oracle ?

Joel Garry wrote:

> fransh_at_hotmail.com (Frans H.) wrote in message news:<31abf0e5.0304180456.502a30eb_at_posting.google.com>...
> > Daniel Morgan <damorgan_at_exesolutions.com> wrote in message news:<3E9F7617.35F3D6C8_at_exesolutions.com>...
> > > RM wrote:
> > >
> > > > I need to create an application where the end user can retrieve data from
> > > > Oracle and send the output to excel spreadsheets. Basically, I need to
> > > > provide a user friendly graphical interface where the user can input their
> > > > criteria's.
> > > >
> > > > Do you have suggestions as to sources that can tell me how to do this. Any
> > > > books, web site etc . . .
> > >
> > > No. Nor would I ever support sending database data to a spreadsheet. Unless,
> > > of course, the object of the exercise is to let end-users massage data so that
> > > reports will reflect untruths.
> > >
> > > What can they possibly do in Excell that can't be better done in Oracle with a
> > > decent report writer? Nothing except as noted above.
> > >
> > > Daniel Morgan
> >
> > Oracle Discoverer would be an option, or Oraxcel.
> > And there are a few things that can be better be done in Excel than
> > with a report writer. Think of the graphics (although there are much
> > better programs around) or of the analytical functions in excel.
> > Furthermore there are several analytical programs that will more
> > easily use spreadsheets as input,
>
> Some users have wild screaming orgasms when I give them a program that
> can grab the oracle data into Excel, integrated into their other apps
> that run thin-client (ie, enter data about a customer and a product
> and have a spreadsheet magically appear that they can manipulate for a
> quote, email back and forth to production engineers and so forth).
> Even though I seriously hate Excel and do much to avoid it, there's
> something about my customers having wild screaming orgasms that tends
> to be lucrative. I was bummed to find out the vendor of the program
> language has decremented the activex stuff (which, since I seriously
> hate MS software, has given me mixed feelings, to say the least). If
> it were up to me, of course, I would try to put everything into
> Oracle, but it isn't, and even if it were, it would take a long time
> and be very expensive to get there. And that isn't in the budget.
>
> To the original poster: I think VB and similar things suck, but it
> and activeX sounds like what you want. Also, go into excel help and
> type in Oracle, you may be able to do what you need directly with
> macros, if the needs are simple enough and you have a suitable db
> design. The group would probably be interested in your thoughts on
> oraxcel, too. Discoverer is a good tool, but it has quite a learning
> curve and you may need DBA support and perhaps an expensive class to
> get going.
>
> jg
> --
> @home.com is bogus.
> http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/uniontrib/wed/business/news_1b16aol.html

Your client's lack of a personal life not withstanding ... I don't believe there is a single bit of functionality in Excell that can't be found in all of the major report writing tools.

And all without the ability for end-users to corrupt the data.

Daniel Morgan Received on Fri Apr 18 2003 - 20:17:56 CDT