Jon wrote:
I want to port a simple (!) program that has a "database record" for
each row in a user viewable (and possibly editable) table. The data
may have to be sorted in more than one fashion, and some fields may
have to have different colored backgrounds or text. Some fields
might be editable in the table, while other fields (memos) might be
edited in a single field at the bottom, where the current record has
the memo contents displayed (I hope this is clearly explained). Given
that I have no compatible databases on my Windows system (that I know
of!), I may not actually choose to use a database, but perhaps some
other approach (text file(s), multiple cards (something I do not
understand very well), etc)..
So. Two questions.
First off, what is the best way to present the user with tabular
data? I tried the "table", and it has lots of problems, at least the
way I did it <sick grin>. Any sample stacks out there for me to
study? I had the most trouble allowing the user to edit the data: the
appearance of the table went to hell when the user started modifying a
field in the table.
If you can live with one limitation, I think the easiest answer is to
use Chipp's altHeader plugin. It provides headers for columnar data,
allows for resizing of the columns, makes it easy (or automatic - I
don't remember) to sort by different columns, etc. Only thing I wanted
and didn't find was column re-ordering (i.e. selecting the third
column's heading, and drag-and-dropping it to make it now be the fifth
column).
The limitation is that, as far as I know, you can't have different
fields in different colours - though it may be possible to program that
yourself.
You mentioned "memo" fields - I'd be inclined to keep them out of the
tabular display completely, so that only the "current" record has its
memo field(s) displayed at the bottom.
Secondly, are there any simple databases that "come with" Windows?
Any freebie databases that can be (easily?) installed on Windows? Any
resource I should have consulted before posting this
probably-redundant question?
How much data do you have to deal with ? You can go a long way with CSV
files (actually, use TABs or some other character that won't appear in
your data, not commas, as your separator - makes things much easier),
and the speed of text manipulation and searching in Rev will allow this
to scale quite a long way.
I wouldn't use the "data on cards" approach - I like to keep data and
code separate, and to have the data in a format that can be readily
accessed by other tools if needed.
You should look at SDB (Serendipity Database-Binary). I have failed
utterly to get it to work for me, in spite of trying seriously 3 or 4
times - but I know others have succeed, so it may be just me that thinks
differently and can't understand the docs, or my system set-up that is
peculiar, or something. (If ever there was a product that needed a
detailed step-by-step set of instructions for installing it, SDB is it.
I would have a go at writing it - except that I can't figure it out well
enough to do it myself :-) So if you try this and succeed - you owe me
a write-up on the exact steps you took ....
Alternatively, stretching the definition of "simple", install MySQL or
PostgreSQL. Free (beware mySQL ceases to be free if your app is a
commercial app, in some complicated way), and both come well packaged
for Windows, and with lots of books, articles, support available, etc. -
but not quite "simple".
Or pay a modest sum for altSQLite.
Or write your own extneral to interface to sqlite.
Or .....
or just use CSV files :-)
--
Alex Tweedly http://www.tweedly.net
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