Database creation

Thread view:

melissa - 19 Aug 2004 16:36 GMT

Hello Everyone,

Please let me start by saying that I'm new to programming, but I've heard
from a lot of guys that it's best to create database applications in Java
because of the cross platform capabilities..

Is this true?

I cannot find any books on how to create a simple local (the data stays on
the computer's hard drive) database using Java.

Have I been misinformed? All I can find are books covering
distributed databases over the 'net.

If it's ok with you folks, I'd like to describe my needs and maybe that will
be of help to anyone willing to offer this confused girl some advice on how
best to proceed.

1. I need just a handfull of tables in a relational database
2. I'd like to have it be very small in terms of all the necessary
installation and support files, maybe even run on a Palm PDA
3. I'd like to be able to export and import data in "comma separated value"
(CSV) format
4. Possibly use a database engine so that if someone needed to open a
database file in Access, that they could
5. Could be installed on computers with relatively little hard drive space
available
6. I'd like to be able to sort the data returned in a query in some kind of
a form based report and maybe one that could be printed as well.

Thanks guys. I appreciate any advice you would be kind enough to offer.

Melissa

PS. Are there any on-line resources available for someone like me to get me
off and running? Any good books that cover developing such a small scale
database in Java?

Reply to this Message

kaeli - 19 Aug 2004 19:02 GMT

> Hello Everyone,
>
> Please let me start by saying that I'm new to programming, but I've heard
> from a lot of guys that it's best to create database applications in Java
> because of the cross platform capabilities..

Applications, yes, probably. Applications talk to databases. Java is indeed
the best cross-platform solution there is, at least IMHO.

The actual database that the application interfaces with? No, that's not done
in java usually.
You create the database using the DBMS that suits you best. For my large
enterprise applications, I use Oracle. For smaller applications, I'd use
MySQL.

> 1. I need just a handfull of tables in a relational database

Why?
What are they for?
You don't have to answer that, it's just food for thought.

> 2. I'd like to have it be very small in terms of all the necessary
> installation and support files, maybe even run on a Palm PDA
> 3. I'd like to be able to export and import data in "comma separated value"
> (CSV) format

Again, why?

> 4. Possibly use a database engine so that if someone needed to open a
> database file in Access, that they could

A database is a database. They all use engines, or DBMS. They don't generally
directly talk to each other without help. That's one of the things Java is
good for.

> 6. I'd like to be able to sort the data returned in a query in some kind of
> a form based report and maybe one that could be printed as well.

You should not assume you will be able to install an entire database system
on someone's computer. Especially "little space" or PDA apps.
Rethink what you're doing and how you're going to do it.
If the users need to access a database, can they do it remotely? That is, if
they have an internet connection, can use it, and so on.
If the users can't remote access, you'd better choose something else, such as
a flat file "database" instead of an entire relational DB.

I'd go into more about Access as a solution, but you mentioned cross-
platform, and that is something Access is NOT. Nor is it multi-user. It's
great for very small Windows applications, though, if you can guarantee your
users already have it installed. It's not much good for much else. ;)

There ARE smaller versions of DBMSs specifically to address PDA concerns.
Check out:
http://www.craigsmullins.com/dbt_0799.htm

But you'll notice those versions are designed to talk to the larger versions
as needed.

Signature

--
~kaeli~
A backward poet writes... inverse.
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/kaelisSpace

Reply to this Message

Database creation

Free Magazines