Building database - PowerCobol

[SteveFoster]

Hello All,

I need to build a database for storing and tracking all the hardware on our school network. I'll be building the front end in PowerCobol 6.1.
Does anyone have any views on whether to build the tables in access or sql etc or use cobols native indexed files and so on. Is there any advantage in one way over the other.

I'm just starting out using cobol and powercobol so would appreciate your opinions.

Thanks
Steve.

 

[Dimandja]

I would go with SQL. There are far more new tools designed to interact with an SQl database than the other two. I am thinking future expansion (XML, Web,...) and the availability of several languages, tools, etc... that can access your database.

Dimandja

 

[fsccdm]

I use access database or sql, and indexed cobol files, and database are very useful for data management. With database it's easy create filters to search data without using keys as with indexed files. You can use powercobol control adodatasource integrated with datagrid control from microsoft, so you can work only with "Col" of datagrid without use name fields (it's very easy). Now I use odbc drivers for data general, and microsoft jet 4 for internal use. Using powercobol control ado you must use microsoft properties, methods, events. Ex. if you want a sort for a data field you must code: MOVE "FIELD_NAME ASC" TO "Sort" OF "RecordSet" OF ADO-CONTROL, or for create a filter:
MOVE "(FIELD_NAME = 'ART')" TO "Filter" OF "RecordSet" OF ADO-CONTROL.
See ado properties, methods, ect. on microsoft MSDN and evaluate if you prefer use DATABASE or indexed files.
Regards
Fsccdm

 

[SteveFoster]

Thanks for your replies. We are using sql so I think I'll give it a try with that. Thanks.

Steve.