Newbie question

[PatrickIRL]

Before I start with the question, I do have a little java experience though it's been quite a while since I've done any development.

I have an app that I've written in VB (sorry) but some potential customers are using Macs so I have to develop the app in probably java. The back-end is MS Access, it's not intensive, just data storage.

Before I begin coding though I thought there is an issue with java accessing the local file system, does this include databases?

Also, recommendations for a DB, MySQL, Postgres? All comments welcome.

Thanks in advance, Patrick

"It works in practice, now we have to figure out if it works in theory?

 

[Diancecht]

Are you coding an applet? If so, you will need to sign it to access databases. If not, I don't understand the Java issue with local filesystem.

Cheers,
Dian

 

[sedj]

You can still use MS-Access as the backend, though I would not recommend it.

MySQL is easy to use and setup, and fairly stable.

Postgres, IMO, is a more advanced, feature rich product, stabler product, but not quite as easy to setup quickly.

Google for "Mysql versus Postgres" and you get loads of benchmarks, opinions etc.

On the file access is, As Dian said - Applets (apps that run in a browser, like ActiveX) cannot access the local file system by default (though you can 'sign' them so they can).
Normal java apps have no problems or restrictions to the file system.

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[PatrickIRL]

Ok cool, thanks for the input, it will be an app as opposed to an applet, this is where the confusion was about file system access. So problem solved, thanks again, much appreciated.

Patrick

"It works in practice, now we have to figure out if it works in theory?