Web based application???

[Gary Stout]

I am interested in the best approach to create a web based application, preferably with PB. Is this something that CGI could be used for? The application I have in mind would need to allow a user to enter customer information, write that information to a database sitting on a web based server and then allow that information to be retreived. I would also like to have a way that a customer could get access to some of the data for checking status. Customer access would be limited to only a few fields as read only...nothing they would be able to edit.

Thoughts or comments to point me in the right direction???

Thanks,
Gary

[Thomas Tierney]

Theres a couple of ways to go about this..

1. use CGI
2. User COM via Powerbasic and ASP

the second is going to be more maintainable..

[David Kenny]

Take a look at the SQLightening project on Paul Squires website. http://planetsquires.com/sqlite_client_server.htm

Paul is hosting this project, but it doesn't require you to use any of his products. As with anything, there is a little learning curve. With a little time to play around and learn how to use it, you could throw together what you are asking for in literally minutes. The server side is ready to go out of the box. You can test you programs using a local Database and the switch to a remote server by adding one line to your code.

Paul has also generously dedicated some of his resources to a support forum on his site where you can post questions and receive prompt answers - much like PowerBasics' awesome forums.

It's based on the SQLite open source project. It is thoroughly tested and very robust. It's super easy to use. Best of all, it is a free solution.

David

After re-reading your post, I must add that I am unclear about how you envisioned the user accessing your Database. You used the word 'Application' and I substituted the word 'Program' in my thought process. If you were going to be writing the application that the user would have to acquire from you and use to communicate with your Database server, then the information I posted above would be useful. If you were meaning to have the user access your Database with a web browser then CGI, as you suggested and Thomas seconded, would be the way to go.

[Gary Stout]

After re-reading your post, I must add that I am unclear about how you envisioned the user accessing your Database. You used the word 'Application' and I substituted the word 'Program' in my thought process. If you were going to be writing the application that the user would have to acquire from you and use to communicate with your Database server, then the information I posted above would be useful. If you were meaning to have the user access your Database with a web browser then CGI, as you suggested and Thomas seconded, would be the way to go.

David and Thomas....thanks for the replies!

David, this is all new territory for me and still in the "thinking through" stage. I may be way off base, but I was thinking the program would sit on a webserver and be able to be ran from a service center as a web-based application. I assume this would be done through a browser. Any data additions or changes would be done online. From the customer stand point, they would not have any programs installed, but would go to a website and enter a claim ticket number to retrieve their information, such as status of their item.
Like I say, this is all new territory to me, so maybe there is a better way to do this.

My first thought a year or so ago was to keep all of the data local and then upload frequent updates to the web, but I am now thinking that having the data already on the web might be the best approach and the most up-to-date.

Thanks again,
Gary

[Joe Byrne]

Gary,

There are a number of ways to tackle this. CGI is an option. Basically you write the code to gather the data, maintain the database, and present it all with PB. You need to create HTML 'forms' to enter the data. You can get a much better understanding of the process by reading my tutorials on CGI programming with PB Here

The next step in web programming is to use a language more suited to the web, such as PHP (yes there are lots of others, but IMO, PHP is the easiest to pick up from a PB background and there are TONS of free tools and lots of support). PHP is really not hard to master and is probably the way I'd go about this.

You could also go the Client/Server route using something like SQLitening. This can be an excellent option especially if you want to remain "pure" PB. Your client application runs on an Internet-Connected PC and uses the Internet as the transport method to access the database. Under normal circumstances, the process is pretty snappy. The drawback here is that you have to have the Client application in order to access the data. A true web-based design will only require a web browser.

A few things to consider as well. You'll need a hosting company for your web page (or the SQLitening database should you go that route). If you use CGI the hosting company will have to run the web site on Windows, and allow you to run Executables from your site. This may limit your choices of hosting companies. Of course you can run your own web server too, but you'll have to have an Internet provider that will allow you run run a server, and give you a static IP address. Most will, but for a price.

[Gary Stout]

Thanks Joe...

I had stumbled across your tutorial on CGI programming and it has been helpful in learning this new concept. So far, I have only got through Part 1, but I may experiment with the example to get a better grasp of the process.

In the back of my mine, I was thinking that I had read some posts where you had done something similar to what I was trying to accomplish.

I like the idea of having the data on a web server, but also have to plan for occassions when the web may be down and we have to operate on a local basis, then re-sync the web data. I think I recall you dealing with that as well and you might have even sent me some psuedo code that demonstrated your technique with this. I wouldn't want to bring the service center to its knees without a way to be productive, should this happen.

Thanks again for you input!
Gary