Ken, Anything that is done differently than the way you do it is wrong. If it was right, then you would be doing it that way.
In some cases, we see the benefit and then adjust our style. But, more often, it is easier for our approach to be right. I can argue this either way. Certainly, if the code is in a table, it is subject to modification (potentially malicious), is not easy to control (via current source control approaches), and can create some very difficult to track problems (since you may not realize that the code is being called from the wrong record than you expect.) I can go on, but you get the idea. On the other hand, you get all the benefits from such an approach. But, as has been mentioned, you have lived with this approach and are comfortable with it. Also, you have the benefits of macro expansion (&) and ExecScript() - both of which were unavailable in most languages - at least until recently. The ability to use these two options makes using a table viable and the lack makes it impractical. Anyway, my thought on the matter is simple. Does this approach allow you to create code that works better and/or faster than the code written "the right way"? I remember the first application I saw by Ken Levy. It was for the CHP (as I recall). What made it so cool is that he used all the controls the wrong way. He was able to implement drag and drop in Fox 2.x by using windows that looked like buttons, etc. The fact that it was not "the correct way to right code" did not stop him from creating a killer app that could not have been written otherwise. Anyway, just my 2 cents on this topic (hey, why is there a $ on the keyboard, but no cents symbol?) Fletcher Fletcher Johnson [EMAIL PROTECTED] 408-929-5678 - Cell 408-946-0960 - Work 501-421-9629 - Fax -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Kenneth Kixmoeller/fh Sent: Sunday, February 04, 2007 10:49 AM To: Profox Subject: [WEB] Storing code in tables Hey - -- - Since I see y'all chatting... I am working on my framework for designing Web applications using PHP, and in this case, MySQL. One of the goals I have had for a long time in my development (in any language) is to keep things flexible by putting lots of stuff in tables. This includes metadata tables which specify ordinary validation rules: mandatory?, typical formats, encrypted?, stuff like that. The typical ones result in a function call to a utility object embedded in a data object: IsValidFormat (<string>,"Telephone"), for example. For exceptional validation, this includes a field for a bit-o'-code for custom validation or table- level validation. Also, for the same flexibility reason, my framework design keeps page- related information, including display code in a table, too. This is never core code like login validation or data object definitions, only again, function calls to data and UI objects. All of the class definition code is kept in files, not tables, off of the Web tree. When I posted a question related to this strategy in a PHP group, I got an individual who said that this strategy is very dangerous, and (in so many words) I'm an idiot for even contemplating it. Mind you, he only knew the "code in tables" part, without the level of detail above. I subsequently supplied it, but so far without response. Whadaya think? Is this an ill-conceived strategy? Ken [excessive quoting removed by server] _______________________________________________ Post Messages to: ProFox@leafe.com Subscription Maintenance: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profox OT-free version of this list: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profoxtech ** All postings, unless explicitly stated otherwise, are the opinions of the author, and do not constitute legal or medical advice. This statement is added to the messages for those lawyers who are too stupid to see the obvious.
