Steven D'Aprano wrote:
>
> I'm attempting to prototype a simple database application in Hypercard.
> What I'm planning is a client-server database (yes, I think big) and I
> was wondering whether Metacard might be better suited for my purposes.
> (Frankly, I doubt I can get Hypercard to do it without a database
> application behind it.)
>
> My questions are:
>
> Can multiple copies of Metacard access simultaneously a single stack
> with read and write access? I'll handle record locking myself.
>
Here's a long version of what Andu said:
If you access a stack that resides on another computer, (1) you can only
do it via http, and (2) unless your computer can view the other
computer's HD as its own peripheral device, the stack loses its
association with the source stack on the disk of the other computer. In
other words, once you retrieve a stack, it exists only in your
computer's memory - it has the same status that a new stack has before
you save it.
Sounds like you might be thinking in terms of the kind of inter-app
communication supported by AppleScript/Apple Events on the Mac; if so,
I'm not aware of any similar IAC support on the Win32 platform. That
means it can't be intelligent apart from the enablement your MC session
gives it. It's just a blob out there until you bring it into your
memory.
If your server is a Unix box, you can write CGI scripts in MetaTalk (as
text files rather than as stacks). The scripts can respond to your data
without becoming part of your local session. And they can access stacks
on the computer where they reside, and act as your agent there.
I'm outta breath. HTH
> If not, can I use a single Metacard stack to hold the database, with
> other stacks running as seperate sessions querying it?
>
> And finally, as my least prefered solution, can a Metacard handle be set
> to run in the background? I doubt this is possible, without scripting
> something from "on idle" handlers, but I just thought I'd ask.
>
> Otherwise, if anyone can suggest a way I could use Metacard to develop a
> client-server application, I'd be greatful.
>
> --
> Steven D'Aprano
>
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--
Phil Davis
------------------
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