Hi Katja,
FlashFiller sounds pretty good. I'll definitly look into it. Thanks --- In [email protected], "Katja Bergman" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Hi, > > I have experimented with XML a bit and it's not as easy to use as > you'd assume at first. I borrowed a tool called 'XMLSpy' from my dad, > who is a professional software developer and it helped me to create > schema's and other files to be used but it's a pretty expensive tool. > Another problem with Delphi is that it doesn't support XML as well as > I hoped for. Well, the .NET implementation works fine but the WIN32 > implementation of XML in Delphi has a few flaws. The date-format is > crooked and boolean fields are written the wrong way too. (Delphi > uses 'True' or 'False' while they should have used 'true' or 'false - > all lowercase.) As a result, Delphi's XML implementation isn't fully > compatible with the full XML standard. Meaning you'll need some > better third-party components or use the MSXML libraries more > directly in your code, without the Delphi wizards... > > Another interesting and free alternative is FlashFiler from > TurboPower. You can fint it at > http://sourceforge.net/projects/tpflashfiler/ and it's real useful > for client-server applications. But you'll need some knowledge about > TCP/IP to get it working correctly and it's a bit out-of-date right > now. (But you get full source and don't need any third-party > libraries or whatever.) > > With FlashFiler you have to create two applications. First of all a > server application which will maintain the database. This application > would preferably be a system service, running in the background. > The second application is your client application which just connects > to the server. This means that your application can run on a > different computer than your database and it can also handle quite a > few users at the same time. It's pretty reliable, but not real easy > to use. > > MS SQL Server isn't free for distribution, is it? Besides, such an > installation might interfere if a user already has an SQL Server > database installed on their system. > > If you're looking for a local database then I'd say that Access is > actually the only good solution. Or Paradox if you don't mind > installing the BDE with your application. If you need multiple users > accessing the same database or want the database installed on a > different system than your executable, InterBase, SQL Server or > FlashFiler would be better alternatives. > > If you really want to keep it simple for the user and if you can > handle the complexity, consider using FlashFiler in that case. It's > not easy to use at first but it means that you can contain everything > within one or two applications. (The FlashFiler server could also be > a FlashFiler client. It doesn't have to be a service.) > > With kind regards, > X Katja Bergman. > > --- In [email protected], "custom_soft_sol" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > wrote: > > > > Hi Katja, > > > > Yes, I do know that XML is not a true DB, the reason I thought of > it > > was because it is free :) > > > > My options at this point are Firebird, MSSQL 2005 Express, XML and > > Access. > > > > I really would rather not use access though. I would love to use > > MSSQL 2005 Express, but then I need to get a very easy way of > > installing it silently and being able to maintain it from within my > > application (which should not be too bad as I have done it before). > > > > Are there any other ideas that anyone can help me with? > > > > Thanks > > > > --- In [email protected], "Katja Bergman" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > wrote: > > > > > > Hi, > > > > > > I myself am just a student so I know what you mean with 'free, > > easy > > > installation and maintenance'. :-) That does limit your options a > > bit, > > > though. > > > One thing that you'll have to keep in mind is the design of your > > > application. How many people will be accessing the database at > the > > > same time, for example? Would those users actually need straight > > > access to the data too? Or would their only access to the data be > > > through your application? > > > > > > About XML... You do realise that XML isn't a real database > format? > > > It's just a storage protocol for data and often useful for simple > > > configuration files or to exchange data between multiple > > applications. > > > > > > Interbase and MySQL are good, free options but not too easy to > > > install. But if you have installed MS-Office then Access might > > also be > > > an interesting alternative. All you need to work with Access is > > ADO > > > and of course the database file with your data inside it. And it > > would > > > allow users to access the data directly too. > > > Access has one other good thing, though. While you have to pay > for > > the > > > product itself, distributing ADO and your Access database files > is > > > just free of charge. So your users wouldn't have to pay for > Access > > if > > > they just use your application. Besides, Office is a very popular > > > product too. > > > > > > Access is also pretty easy to maintain and install. I know that > > > especially Delphi developers who are used to DBase or Paradox > > consider > > > it a moral sin to even consider using Access but it cannot be > > denied > > > that it's a very good alternative. > > > > > > With kind regards, > > > X Katja Bergman. ----------------------------------------------------- Home page: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/delphi-en/ To unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/delphi-en/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
