Re: client server help bigtime

vod_at_writemail.com wrote:

> i have got a BIG prob
> i am suppose to do a project
> like a small invetory control kind
>
> and i would like to know how to go abt it
>

Depends on your requirements and resources.

>
> please take ur time and tell me in detail
>
> example i use either oracle or access(most likely)
>

Do not waste your time and effort with Access. It doesn't work work well, with multiple users, and the language is very limited and proprietary. You'll first find yourself spending more time working around it limitations, and ultimately rewritting everything into a real RDBMS like Oracle anyway once your are finally forced to admit that you've outgrown Access. If price is the issue use one of the free servers initially, MySQL or PostgreSQL, they'll be easier to scale up to Oracle later.

>
> can i make it on a stand alone and then transfer it
> to the server if yes how.
> through a cd , a hard drive or wat
>

Yes.

>
> or do i have to work on the server itself
> if yes then how
>

Yes, you can do this too. How? depends on your environment. I do most of my work (currently) on HP-UX servers using xemacs (or your favorite Unix text editor).

>
> if there are any other options please tell me
>
> how abt the clients
> do i have to load the complete access or wat
>

If you use Access, yes your client machines will need a runtime version.

Why not just make your client a web interface? Make nice pretty forms in HTML and JavaScript, and use perl on the server side to interact with the database and generate HTML.

>
> cause of the limitations of oracle (personal edition)
> can i
> use oracle and access data through MS ACCess.
> can i use oracle as a server
>

I haven't used Oracle (personal edition) so I don't know for certain, but I would think you could define it as ODBC source for Access.

>
> Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
> Share what you know. Learn what you don't.

I get the feeling here (rightly or wrongly) that your interest in Access is that you think it will be easier since it is WYSWIG. You would be mistaken in this assumption. Easier to start with, yes. Easier to finish a well designed, and productive system, no.

Yes, Access will let you point-and-click your way into building a nice little database. However, if you do not understand databases, the relational model, and SQL (the language that Access is trying to protect you from with its QBE), then the database that you point-and-click your way into building will likely be junk only useable for very small and limited systems.

I say this because as a contractor I've had to "fix" far too many databases that someone said "Oh, we don't need to know anything about databases, we can use Access to build it". And then several months later, pay me to come in and re-design, and rewrite the whole thing from scratch. (Oh, the horror stories here, 600 queries calling queries, based on temporary tables, calling queries, ..., to generate 30 reports that were wrong and no one knew why!)

In the long run, going with a real RDBMS such as Oracle, is really worth the extra cost and effort. A well designed system will stimulate new ideas about new ways to utilize your information in ways that your user community probably hasn't even imagined yet. Received on Tue Aug 10 1999 - 09:47:12 CDT