How to convert Oracle script to MySQL script?

What set of technologies would be best suited for this project?

• hi, I'm a freelance programmer who was recently contracted to develop a database-driven database system for a company. The requirements for this system are fairly strict: 1. MySQL must be used as the back-end database (the client does not want to spend very much money, and needs a very fast database server). The client seems to have a personal interest in using MySQL, and insists that this be the back-end database that I use. 2. The front-end would *ideally* be something that can be incorporated into a web-browser. E.g. HTML forms could be used as the front-end, and submitting the forms could call a PHP/Perl/JSP/ASP script that would update the database. The reason for this requirement is the client wants to be able to set up client computers very quickly - i.e. they don't want to have to call me to do some complex software installation every time they buy a new system. 3. All the client computers (about 30 of them) are currently iMacs, and the server is a Windows 2000 server, although this could change down the road. Thus, the solution should be as platform-independent as possible. 4. This is the most important requirement: The client interface should feel as much like a desktop application as possible. I.e., if HTML forms are used as the interface, there should be no "lag" time between the time the user submits the form and the time that the results are returned to the client's browser from the server. Obviously, multi-user database like FileMaker and Oracle would be the best choice to satisfy this requirement, but given previous requirements, such solutions would be out of the question. Standard HTML to PHP/Perl script solutions wouldn't really be adequate either, because of the lag time that occurs when the page refreshes. NOTE: I've thought about using Macromedia Flash or Java Applets as the interface, but the development time would be considerable. I want an environment that's easy to develop in. 5. Finally, the cost should be minimal. Using open-source software would be most ideal, and this may be the reason behind requirement #1. The client doesn't want to spend a lot of money on software outside of my programming charges, and wants to be assured of free upgrades and of the persistency of the software (e.g. what if the company that makes FileMaker goes out of business? Open source software seems to have a greater staying-power... consider Linux or Apache). These are the broad parameters of the system. My question is this: what combination of technologies do you feel would be best suited for this project? Please assume that the person programming this system is familiar with every programming language out there, so technical know-how isn't an issue. The system is to be used on an *intranet*, so it's a closed system, but we want to leave open the possibility of putting the system on the Web down the road. The system will be used to perform all the normal database functions: updating records, adding/deleting records, performing searching, creating reports, etc. If you could provide a few possibilities and describe the advantages and disadvantages of each, that would be great. Thanks.

• Answer:

  Hi, After reading all the comments here and your clarifications, the only option you really have left is a flash front end for the user, php as the bridge between MySQL. Flash forms are really very fast to setup. You can probably make a good looking form in the same time it takes you to put one together in Dreamweaver. Just do a bit of reading on reusing templates and objects. Really, it's fast, and much easier to support in the long run. Setting up the PHP bridge to the MySQL database is equally as fast, the server will of course need to have PHP, but there is no configuration needed as the MySQL functions are now standard in PHP installs. Java would be an option if you didn't have the "non-lag" requirement. Java is going to slow those iMac's down to a crawl, in my experience, maybe you know some tricks to keep that from happening, but everything I've seen in Java running on an iMac is really slow. Flash will be faster and you won't need to worry about the browser crashing. Cross platform is also the constraint you have which suggests the flash/PHP option. This will run on any server that PHP will run on. IIS Apache, whatever. Since the PHP is being called in the background the Flash screen can change to the next needed entry point without waiting for PHP to respond. You can also set it up to check the existence of the server's response, and alert the user that the server is down from the next page or anywhere in the program. Using the new Flash MX with global variables and non-frame events, this is very useful and fast to setup. Another thing that will help speed up your process is that Flash will read XML and MySql will give results to queries in XML format using select statements. The last thing I will point out here is that a Flash program doesn't require a browser to run in. Using the app from the desktop will function just as it would inside a browser window. So if you ever do have browser problems, just eliminate the problem. As for printing the reports and query results you can create in Flash the ability to print these or the best way would be to drop out to a PHP created New Window with the results, and print from there. Sending out a Javascript command from the Flash to it's hosting Browser window, and tell it to create the new window with the given parameters. This will work in Netscape 4.5 but not in the newer Netscape browsers as they changed the back-engine of Netscape to the Mozilla engine after that and messed up the javascript calling function. As of this date, there is no fix for this yet in the newer browsers. Links Hot Scripts.com PHP/Scripts and Programs / Flash and PHP http://www.hotscripts.com/PHP/Scripts_and_Programs/Flash_and_PHP/ Macromedia Flash Technotes Overview http://www.macromedia.com/support/flash/ts/documents/flash_database.htm Scrolling dynamically loaded text in Macromedia Flash http://www.macromedia.com/support/flash/ts/documents/dynamic_text_scrollmx.htm Understanding Flash applications http://www.macromedia.com/support/flash/applications/app_design/app_design04.html Loading data across domains http://www.macromedia.com/support/flash/ts/documents/load_xdomain.htm Flash : An example of communication between JavaScript and Macromedia Flash http://www.macromedia.com/support/flash/ts/documents/java_script_comm.htm Flash - Validating Flash forms with Dreamweaver and the JavaScript Integration Kit for Flash 5 http://www.macromedia.com/support/flash/programs/form_validations_tut/ I have no clue why, but there are very few Flash apt tutorials that will show you the real power of this format in business apts, probably because there are very few people who think business apts are really all that special. But there are game tutorials and they will show you the power of persistent variables and non-frame dependant events. http://flashkit.com/tutorials/Games/ Thanks, webadept-ga