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First database with MySQL and Alpha 5 - need some advice please.

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    First database with MySQL and Alpha 5 - need some advice please.

    Hi All,

    Brand new here. Used to be an Access developer back in the day and not done any DB stuff for a good few years. I am in the process of learning Alpha 5 (only been doing it a few days) and I have been playing about. I have MySQL all setup and have Alpha 5 talking to it and have tables all setup etc.

    One thing I am struggling to get my head around is how table relationships and joins work in this. In Access obviously I made the tables within Access and built all the relationships there. Then when I used tables/queries in forms etc they would all be linked and work together nicely as it was all in the same 'place'.

    I am trying to make a web application and can�t fathom where and how my table relationships work. I have created the joins within MySQL and all the tables look related correctly. However (and I have not played about that much with this bit) when I make components and queries in Alpha 5 do I have to create all the relationships/joins again or does it know about the joins I have already made in MySQL. Reading it back it seems a silly question but I am not used to building databases where the front and backend are in different environments. Can anyone explain how that works so I can get my head around it?

    Thanks for any help at all.

    Matt

    #2
    Re: First database with MySQL and Alpha 5 - need some advice please.

    If you created relationships in MySQL, that means you created Views. So in Alpha, at the point where you select your source table for the grid, you can select a View instead.

    Also, Alpha's SQL relationship builder (called SQL Query Builder) is a very good alternative to building Views in MySQL.
    Steve Wood
    See my profile on IADN

    Comment


      #3
      Re: First database with MySQL and Alpha 5 - need some advice please.

      Thanks for posting this query. I'm trying to get my head around MySQL and Alpha. I'm a newbie, but have been interested in databases for years, and once developed a small application in Alpha for DOS many years ago, but have done nothing since.

      What I'm interested in is trying to find how much development I should do with MySQL and how much with Alpha. I'm an Optician in the UK, and am trying to build a complete Practice management system. So far the only development is on paper, developing the relationships and questions that the software will need to use, before starting development - much better to do it this way round!

      What I'd like is an opinion about how much MySQL can do for me and how much Alpha should do. All opinions gratefully received! Thanks, Rob.

      Comment


        #4
        Re: First database with MySQL and Alpha 5 - need some advice please.

        hello

        this is the way i think it works.

        access is the front end for the database ADO engine. it sets up the gui and presents with tables, queries, form, reports etc, etc. it is capable of writing and reading from the database engine. so you think you are using a database itself.

        on the other hand mysql is THE database without the gui front end. then you can get workbench, navicat or toad as your gui frontend and now you have both reading anf writing capabilities to the mysql database. yes they read and write but they don't present data in an user friendly way.

        then comes alphafive. it is a frontend for mysql(and more flavors of sql) it can read, write and present data in a nice way and the way you want to present. but it will not help you design the tables on the mysql. if you want to do web development, alpha and mysql are better combination.

        so,
        you do all designs such as tables, views relationships in mysql. (view is not available in alphafive and sql, only available with dbf)

        then you design reading, inserting and presenting the data with alpha five.
        you can do desktop with mysql and alphafive, but active or passive linked tables are not my cup of tea.
        thanks for reading

        gandhi

        version 11 3381 - 4096
        mysql backend
        http://www.alphawebprogramming.blogspot.com
        [email protected]
        Skype:[email protected]
        1 914 924 5171

        Comment


          #5
          Re: First database with MySQL and Alpha 5 - need some advice please.

          Only correction, your statement: "view is not available in alphafive and sql, only available with dbf". You can use and even build Views in Alpha Five for SQL database as well as for DBF.
          Steve Wood
          See my profile on IADN

          Comment


            #6
            Re: First database with MySQL and Alpha 5 - need some advice please.

            hello

            You can use and even build Views in Alpha Five for SQL database as well as for DBF.
            i use version 10.5 and in that
            when using dbf and building grid there are two options - tables and views, (i do not use dbf at all)
            when using sql and building grid there are two options - tables and sql statements.

            are you saying that sql statements and views are one and the same?
            then you are correct.
            thanks for reading

            gandhi

            version 11 3381 - 4096
            mysql backend
            http://www.alphawebprogramming.blogspot.com
            [email protected]
            Skype:[email protected]
            1 914 924 5171

            Comment


              #7
              Re: First database with MySQL and Alpha 5 - need some advice please.

              Thanks for all the replies guys, sorry for my slow response. Govindan, your explanation makes sense and is pretty much how I thought it would be. Steve, thanks for the extra comment which also helps. Now I've just got to finish designing and get developing. Small word, 'just'. :-)

              Comment


                #8
                Re: First database with MySQL and Alpha 5 - need some advice please.

                So, to revive this thread a bit, we are having a person who knows that he's doing build our application. But I'd/we'd like to be comfortable enough with this to be able to do some minor work and updates on our own on an ongoing basis. To get specific with a really basic question that will help ensure I have my head around what's done in A5 vs in SQL backend, let's say I want to add a field in a user record to capture a 'handle' for the latest social media craze to reach critical mass. In a MS SQL world I'd fire up something like Management Studio to create that field, and then use A5 to modify dialogs, etc, to expose to users so they could populate? Thx in advance for fielding the pre-101 question...

                Comment


                  #9
                  Re: First database with MySQL and Alpha 5 - need some advice please.

                  Originally posted by regge View Post
                  In a MS SQL world I'd fire up something like Management Studio to create that field, and then use A5 to modify dialogs, etc, to expose to users so they could populate? Thx in advance for fielding the pre-101 question...
                  Yes. You could create a new field using a "DOS" command line (I don't) or a tool such as the free Management Studio. For other tools see this thread (but they are mostly, but not all, for MySQL, I think):

                  http://msgboard.alphasoftware.com/al...485#post644485
                  Peter
                  AlphaBase Solutions, LLC

                  [email protected]
                  https://www.alphabasesolutions.com


                  Comment


                    #10
                    Re: First database with MySQL and Alpha 5 - need some advice please.

                    Thank you, Peter. This advice is helpful and appreciated.

                    Comment

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