>>> Then, suppose I want to write a quick app to help visualize the >>> data in >>> those databases. If I had a single database with an immutable set >>> of tables, >>> I could use Dabo to generate an app to query this database an plot >>> the >>> table columns for me. But I have a bunch of similar but not equal >>> databases, >>> so what do I do? >>> >>> If the Dabo app allowed me to select the db file (in case of >>> SQLIte), and >>> presented me with a form based on that db schema, the problem would be >>> solved. >>> >>> So, do you still think that this type of app is beyond the scope of >>> Dabo?
This could make a nice sample app to include with dabo. Let's outline what the app should do: 1. UI to enter a connection, 2. see a list of databases 3. see a list of tables 4. query 5. add/edit/delete 6. modify the database (e.g. create tables, add fields to a table, etc)? I have just done 1, 2 and 4 (although coded very poorly by my standards), # 3 should be easy, although I am not really sure how the UI should work. I am envisioning a 'Show Tables' button next to each DB in #2 - hit the button, a new form opens showing the tables for that DB. #4 - add a 'Show Data' button next to each table in #3. hit button and you get a form with the results of 'select top 10 * from table' (using the native dialect for 'top 10' and letting 10 be configurable.) One thing I have done in the past: 'Show Data' opens a Query form that has an edit box and a Submit button. user enters a command, hits Submit, command is sent to the connection/db picked in step 2 and the results are displayed in a 2nd part of the Query form. To make life nice, when the user hits 'Show Data' button, the Query form edit box is preloaded with 'select top 10 * from table' and executed. 5 Gets interesting, given the app needs to learn about Primary Keys, which is easy for some cases, but next to impossible in others. lucky the easy cases seem to be the norm, and the impossible cases can always be covered by a PK Configuration UI. personally, I would push the PK Config option into Version 1.1, and just throw an message if the user tries to update a table that doesn't have an easy to discover PK. (I wonder how dangerous it is to rely on PK strategy discovery?) 6. Hmm... You could use the "enter command, hit submit" to send a CREATE TABLE command, but some users want a GUI: table name and parameters above a grid to enter fields. This is going to be the most work - Version 1.2, if it ever happens :) How close is this to what you envisioned? Carl K _______________________________________________ Post Messages to: [email protected] Subscription Maintenance: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/dabo-users Searchable Archives: http://leafe.com/archives/search/dabo-users This message: http://leafe.com/archives/byMID/dabo-users/[EMAIL PROTECTED]
