Web Browser Based Application for PDAs

[bgreenhouse]

Hi Folks

Let me state to begin with that I am not a software developer, nor have I ever programmed for PDAs. I am a web developer, doing mostly database driven sites using either ASP or PHP. I have made wireless websites using WML.

I'm currently quoting on a job to make a searchable appendix of diseases (for animals) that will be online. I'm figuring I'll drive it from some database platform and use either ASP or PHP to generate the web pages. They are interested in a second phase of the contact where the appendix could be downloaded to a PDA. My initial thoughts on this would be to use the PDA browser and make an application that reads from an XML file that is generated from the database when they download the application (to ensure it is the most up to date version of the database). Once the application was installed, the user could download updated database (XML) files whenever they came out.

This may be a simplistic and unworkable solution, that's why I'm here. Is using C+ or C++ the only way to go when making an application for a handheld? If so, where would the data be stored?

Please straighten me out on this - I need to design the web page to be as scalable as possible should they decide to go ahead with the Palm Project.

 

[mbwmbk]

I have the similar problem here. Have you find the solution to use ASP to make application for a handheld?

 

[bgreenhouse]

Hi mbwmbk

Yes and no. The client has decided that it's okay to hold off on the PDA for now. The problem wasn't solved though because they wanted a version of the site to be available on CD - which has a similar problem. My solution was to develop the site using Flash and XML - Flash can read XML from a hard drive or disc, and doesn't need a server. I suppose you could do something similar with JavaScript and HTML or WML...

Does this help?

B