** Tech Support Form Handler / DB **

[DefinityCorporation]

Hello, We are IT guys with a support based company. We want clients to be able to initiate service calls from our website via a really simple form: (name, tel, email, problem description, etc.) We are lan\wan, wireless, email, storage kind of guys, and we do not have experience with back-end databases, and form handlers. Is CGI the way to go? What would you suggest for back end? Access or SQL2K? Basically, it would be just a "contact-us" kind of script, with the addition of storing the output in a database for customer support history. A wish would be that after the form is submitted, it would return a trouble ticket number from DB for status tracking.

We use/have: Win2K server/AD domain, Proliant Servers and Cisco firewalls, Our site is on IIS 5.0 (yeah, yeah, we know) and messaging is Exchange 2K. We are motivated professionals seeking knowledge, not lazy guys looking for someone to do it for us. PLEASE HELP/GUIDE US!!!!!

 

[cian]

There's any numbers of ways to do it, with ASP, PHP, Perl etc For databases you also have options!
It would be very simple to find some scripts on the new in PHP+MySQL which will do exactly what you want. It would also be easy to make your own.

A good place to start would be

http://www.devshed.com/

You will find many articles/tutorials showing you how to do this kind of thing. It also covers many languages.


É
::

http://www.endamcg.com

 

[cian]

ASP

http://www.aspfree.com/asp/startpage.asp?id=21

http://www.asp101.com/samples/form_to_db.asp

PHP

http://www.devshed.com/Server_Side/Administration/Database/page1.html

É
::

http://www.endamcg.com

 

[goBoating]

Is CGI the way to go?
CGI would be the most flexible approach. However, if you are sure that you don't want to do anything other that what you have described, ASP (or PHP) will do that pretty well.

What would you suggest for back end?

Access is limited and limiting. It does not support multiple connections. That means that your web app will have to serve your customers in a one-by-one serial manner. It can be done, but it builds serious performance limits into the system.

If you own SQL2k, use it. Obviously, it will support these behaviors.
However, if you don't already own SQL2K, I'd use MySQL (

http://www.mysql.com)

or even better, PostGreSQL (

http://www.postgresql.org).

Both are free, widely used and rock solid. The may lack some of the MS centric tricks, but if all you want is a database to house/server a little data (both can handle much more than you're talking about), the free choices will do that very comptetently. 'hope this helps

If you are new to Tek-Tips, please use descriptive titles, check the FAQs, and beware the evil typo.

 

[DefinityCorporation]

Thanks for the posts! We have MS-SQL2K, so that will be our DB. The question is the front end, what is the best, and what is the easiest. We are looking for your professional opinions. (We have zero experience with CGI, ASP, PHP, and DB's in general, so it makes no difference which you choose)

We know we have a lot to learn. Eventually we want the ability to query the db using a browser from anywhere: list open cases, cases by engineer, hours per customer, etc.

Based on this info, and the fact that we do not have programmer/developer backgrounds, is this too lofty a goal for us? What are your suggestions? THANK YOU ALL!

 

[cian]

No it's not too lofty a goal but it will take time.
I'm not experienced with any of those languages but from what I have been learning they all offer pretty much the same functionality. Either language will do the trick but PHP has the advantage of being easiest, works well with databases and there's tons of free applications/guides/tutorials etc already on the web.


É
::

http://www.endamcg.com

 

[goBoating]

'Sounds like you are a microsoft shop.
MS OS.
MS DB Server.
MS Web Server.

My inclination would be to use ASP with your SQL Server. You can get perl and php to talk to a SQL Server but it is a little bit of a pain. I connect to several SQL Servers with Perl from several Solaris and Linux boxes. To do so, you have to build/load some extra libraries or modules (ODBC drivers or FreeTDS or other).... definitely doable, but not as easy as the straight microsoft approach in what sounds like a microsoft environment. ASP will hook up to your SQL servers more easily. There is no reason to consider PHP on IIS. ASP is the M$ flavor of PHP.... same thing only different ;-).

If you decide on ASP, I'd make a trip to the book store for a couple of good 'how-to' books and I expect there is an ASP forum here at TTs.

You can't imagine how hard it is for me to recommend that someone stay on the M$ ranch. But, if you already have all the pieces parts and are familiar with the M$ way of life, you'll probably come up to speed with ASP quicker and keep a more consistent environment if you stay where you are, in M$ land.
'hope this helps

If you are new to Tek-Tips, please use descriptive titles, check the FAQs, and beware the evil typo.