The most time efficient solution for interfacing MySQL? 3

[vacchett]

Hello everyone. I am a programmer since many years but I am quite new to DBs, so let say this question might sound a bit strange...

The main idea is that I would like to learn some new languages/tools capable of improving my proficiency in DB programming.

I have just finished a couple of projects about DB and MySQL, a couple of stand alone applications (.exe). So far, time was not that critical, I did not care too much about efficiency. So, due to my C/C++ background, I used the native MySQL API in C, which I wrapped in some C++ classes. I used the .Net framework in C++ with managed extensions for interfaces. That was what I already knew, no other reasons for this choice!

This combination was not working bad, but it suffered from two main problems: too slow to implement interfaces (data grids, windows, buttons and so on) and a bit too limited in the choice of controls (this may be due to .Net), for instance the data grid controls are very poor, having very few parameters.

I was wondering if using all the "connectors" provided by Java, VB and maybe another language/framework was offering me faster implementation. For instance, I was amazed how fast one can make an interface by using Access, in spite of some flexibility I guess. Then, I was wandering about richer interfaces than .Net. I do not have the old VB6 but someone told me there were more controls.

My goal would be building small/medium stand alone applications, sometimes to integrate them with web oriented versions of them, though this is not the main priority.

Thanks for suggestions, and I hope this is a good start for an interesting discussion.

Have a good day,

Luca

 

[Kozusnik]

PERL is an excellent language which rivals C++ when dealing with databases and flat files. It's portable to almost any OS. It works well for standalone or web applications.

That's my $.02.

Mark

 

[vacchett]

Thanks for your advice!
Do you use Perl for building queries together with other interfaces, such as web interfaces, or it has its own window/form interface?

Luca

 

[Kozusnik]

You can use it to make desktop GUIs or web interfaces. I've done more on the web side. Althought I prefer PHP for web guis.
I also use the perl sockets to capture real-time information from other systems and update musql tables.
Unfortunately, I don't have a "form interface" for perl. There ma be some, I just use a text editor. Maybe poke around sourceforge to see if there are any perl gui building interfaces. Maybe someone here has more insight.

Mark

 

[ericbrunson]

Perl is a horrible, horrible language that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.

Don't get off on the wrong foot, if you're going to be writing web interfaces use PHP, simply because it is expressly geared towards it and has a ton of modules for doing common tasks. If you're writing stand alone applications, I'd suggest learning Python.

 

[Kozusnik]

I agree Eric, but PERL can do everything PHP and Python can. That was the reason I suggested it. Believe me, I'd much rather program in PHP (not so much Python), but sometimes there's call for more of an all-in-one language. Hence PERL.

Mark

 

[ericbrunson]

It still doesn't change the fact that perl is a horrible, horrible language.

I can write anything that can be written in any of those languages in either of the other two. I prefer python, I feel it is cleaner, better designed, more maintainable and easier to learn, I would choose it over either of the other two. PHP, however, has the benefit of all its available web-centric packages, which is why I mentioned it in the context of web development. I prefer python, but I use PHP when appropriate.

My father taught me that you should always try to use the right tool for the job, and that tool is almost *never* vice-grips. Perl is the vice-grips of programming, yeah it can do just about anything, but I don't want to be the next mechanic who has to work on the car and deal with the stripped nuts, knicked hoses and crushed clamp-ons.

Just my two cents, you mileage may vary. I won't argue with you if you want to write your code in perl, but I have to speak up whenever I hear it recommended to a neophyte.

If the original poster is coming from a VB and C++ background, he will feel very comfortable with Python's object oriented structure. Perl OO is an abomination.

 

[Kozusnik]

Agreed.

Never vice grips??? How about duct tape. (Duct tape is West Virginia chrome!!!)

Mark

 

[ericbrunson]

Duct table is a completely different arguement. Duct tape is like the force: It has a dark side and a light side and it holds the universe together.

 

[TonyGroves]

vacchett:

If you want to stick with C++, but have the benefit of a slick environment for developing GUI applications, have a look at Borland C++ Builder. It's the same interface as their famous Delphi, but uses C++, which is a much more mainstream language, and allows your code to be as low-level or high-level as you like. It costs a bit, but you can download a free trial version from the Borland site.

After C++, my second language is Perl, which I use for web and sysadmin scripts rather than for GUI applications. It is such a flexible language that one line of Perl can often do the same job as 10 or more lines of C++. And if you download ActivePerl (free of charge) from activestate.com, it comes bundled with a GUI-building library. However, Perl's very versatility is the source of a lot of its criticism. It almost encourages sloppy programming habits, resulting in obscure bugs and code that's almost unreadable next time you look at it. Other points of weakness are slowness (it's an interpreted language), bizarre object-orientation mechanisms, and difficulty working with complex data structures.

Both those languages work well with MySQL.

 

[vacchett]

Thanks for this enlighting suggestion!
Actually I was induced to think that the most popular user interface was the .Net. Il looks like Borland has more features, right? I will have a look as soon as I have some spare time...
Thanks a lot for your help,
Luca

 

[TonyGroves]

I don't know about C++ Builder having more features, but it certainly has plenty. And there are lots of good third-party component libraries available, many of them free.

C++ Builder also gives you a choice of component libraries, either the Windows-based VCL or the cross-platform CLX, which is based on the QT library. CLX projects can be compiled to run on either Windows or Linux systems.

Of course, there's also Visual Basic ... if you can stomach the language!