Brennan, I've done quite a bit of database work over the years (mostly web/VB based) and also done some spiffy Director projects with database backends. Valentina is my preference, and I haven't had a problem with it yet.
Now, onto some answers: > What sort of things make database development difficult? Does any of the above > sound like hidden horrors? Nope, nothing seems out of the ordinary. > How much time would it take me (with my kung-fu lingo chops) to get up to speed > with Valentina? Well, your lingo skills will definitely help you with the syntax for Valentina, but your database skills is what will really help. If you have ever worked in a relational database before, you should have no problem picking up on things. I moved over from doing stuff in Microsoft languages, and the transition was simple. Plus, if you know SQL, an SQL interface from Director is truly a godsend. However, even if you don't know SQL there are tons of tutorials out there, and it's an easy *language*. > We're thinking that they other guys could build some kind of rough database in > Filemaker and then import into Valentina. Does that sound like duplicated effort? I'm not sure what platform you are authoring on, but if you are doing it on the PC the ODBC database importer works very well (freeware on the Valentina site). Basically, you can set up just the empty schema database in Director, and then use the ODBC importer to dump all the content from the Filemaker db. I always have my content people enter data into Excel or Access and then bring it into Valentina via this util. > Is it easy to write a script which takes, say, a dbf file and does the right > thing with Valentina? Or should I make some basic data entry tools in lingo, so > they can do it directly into Director. I've never gone that route because of my abovementioned method but it is an option. However, I prefer to let people use preexisting tools that they are familiar with. As long as that tool can attach to an ODBC interface (the newest Filemaker can), then you can get it into Valentina without coding. > If a structure is built in Filemaker, will I keep the 'links' when I export, or > does it all get flattened? I'm not quite sure what you mean when you say "export". I haven't used Filemaker much more than a cursory overview. > If a Filemaker database contains pictures, audio and text, can these items be > exported too? This I'm not sure as well. Valentina does have field types for both pictures and binary data, so, depending on how FileMaker exports you should be able to finagle them into Valentina fields. I tend to stay away from storing actual files in my databases. If people need to change them it becomes a big pain in the arse. Instead, I keep reference to their location in directory structures or casts. This is just a personal preference, however. From all I've heard, Valentina handles binary and picture data just as well as any other. > Is Filemaker 'just a load of crap, you should use 4D/Oracle/Access instead'? Heh...IMO yes. But again, it's a background kind of thing. I wouldn't use it to backend this sort of thing though. If they are comfortable working in it, then let them, and just import the data to your VDB. > Many thanks in advance from someone too busy to check out all the options. Not that I am giving you that many options. I'm pretty much sold on the whole Valentina engine, and don't work with anything else :P HTH Brian Romanko Lead Developer - Neo/SCI Corporation Member - Greater Rochester Macromedia User Group [To remove yourself from this list, or to change to digest mode, go to http://www.penworks.com/LUJ/lingo-l.cgi To post messages to the list, email [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Problems, email [EMAIL PROTECTED]) Lingo-L is for learning and helping with programming Lingo. Thanks!]
