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Plan to work with web and desktop

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    Plan to work with web and desktop

    I currently am using Ver 10, but will upgrade to v11 or v12. I have a hybrid application now for running a grocery delivery business that does most work on the desktop, with a retail customer interface on the web for ordering. Files are transferred to and from the desktop using ftp. The application uses dbf files only.
    I plan to do the following:
    • Export dbf files used on the web to convert them to SQL to use My SQL.
    • Change the current web components to work with SQL files (directly, not using active link tables).
    • Use DBforge studio to manage the SQL tables
    • Use a program like MySQL to DBF converter to convert the SQL files on the web to DBF and then use ftp to transfer to the desktop.
    • Develop a mobile app for those filling orders to work with the orders on the web and work with a product list using a mobile phone.
    • Over time, migrate desktop functionality to the web, so eventually the entire application will run on the web.
    • Develop a front end for customers to (more easily) order on a mobile device

    Does anyone experienced with hybrid and web applications have any comments or suggestions about the above work plan?
    Richard Urban

    Grocery Delivery Software for Stores and Entrepreneurs: http://www.urbangrocery.com

    #2
    Re: Plan to work with web and desktop

    Hi Richard,

    I would be interested to know HOW exactly you would get your app to work WITHOUT active link tables? How would your reporting for instance work if there is no active link table?
    Have you done any research into approaching a SQL Database from within an Alpha application?
    As far as I know, there is no native support for MySQL. So how did you figured this one out to work?

    Comment


      #3
      Re: Plan to work with web and desktop

      Marcel,

      You can create reports based on SQL Data sources and SQL Select statements with parameters for filtering so you wouldn't need Active Link tables for reports based on SQL. In the app I'm writing for WCD and WAS I am not using any Active Link tables. I'm using MS SQL Server and DAO connections. Alpha supports MySQL for DAO connections so the process would be the same.
      Brad Weaver, President
      ComputerAid International
      Ottawa ON Canada
      Versailles KY USA
      www.compuaid.com

      Comment


        #4
        Re: Plan to work with web and desktop

        I don't have any reports on the website right now, just basic grids, forms and dialogues for customers to order. That is the part I will use with My SQL. I will maintain the desktop as DBF files for now.
        Richard Urban

        Grocery Delivery Software for Stores and Entrepreneurs: http://www.urbangrocery.com

        Comment


          #5
          Re: Plan to work with web and desktop

          Originally posted by richardurban View Post
          I don't have any reports on the website right now, just basic grids, forms and dialogues for customers to order. That is the part I will use with My SQL. I will maintain the desktop as DBF files for now.
          if your web activity is not much, why don't you just keep the dbf for now and use that for web also, so you don't have shuttle the ever changing tables daily or more frequently. when you acquire version 12 for mobile use or 11 for web access and develop mysql based website just upload all the dbf files or convert them the way you do now. and phase out desktop altogether.
          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


            #6
            Re: Plan to work with web and desktop

            Thanks, Govindan for your thoughts. To clarify, what are you suggesting that is different than what I have stated above? I already do use just DBF files on both the existing web and desktop. My concern is making the newly to be developed web sql based part work with the already existing desktop DBF part. I feel it will be too much to convert everything that is now on the desktop to run on the web with an sql backend at once. That's why I was thinking to convert the sql files that are to be used for the new web part, as needed for download to the desktop, to DBF files. I know that is some trouble, but that way I could have them work with the existing desktop for now.
            Richard Urban

            Grocery Delivery Software for Stores and Entrepreneurs: http://www.urbangrocery.com

            Comment


              #7
              Re: Plan to work with web and desktop

              Richard, will your desktop have access to your MySQL server on your web host? If so then it may be easier if you want to keep data in DBF files on your desktop side to do an import operation from the MySQL server rather than trying to convert MySQL data at the server and FTP it down. Another option is to simply connect to your MySQL data from your desktop application and use that data directly. That's where the ActiveLink question from Marcel came in above I believe. If you setup an Activelink table on your desktop to your MySQL data you'll have the working equivalent of a local DBF that is always in sync with your MySQL data on the server. The only disadvantage is that your desktop systems would need full time access to your web host where your MySQL tables reside.
              Brad Weaver, President
              ComputerAid International
              Ottawa ON Canada
              Versailles KY USA
              www.compuaid.com

              Comment


                #8
                Re: Plan to work with web and desktop

                I guess the desktop can have access to the My SQL server. It just needs an (always on) internet connection, right? I recently took a seminar on using SQL tables with Alpha Five with Steve Woods and Larry Grupido and they recommended against using the Active Link tables. Do you know of any particular disadvantages of using active link tables?
                With the idea to import the MySQL data,would I then convert it on the desktop instead of the server? So that would eliminate the need to use FTP, as MySQL has its own protocol, and it would be secure?
                Richard Urban

                Grocery Delivery Software for Stores and Entrepreneurs: http://www.urbangrocery.com

                Comment


                  #9
                  Re: Plan to work with web and desktop

                  Do you know of any particular disadvantages of using active link tables?
                  Speed

                  With the idea to import the MySQL data,would I then convert it on the desktop instead of the server? So that would eliminate the need to use FTP, as MySQL has its own protocol, and it would be secure?
                  one. Unless you take extreme care, you could easily overwrite data.

                  Best of my knowledge, you will be treading on thin ice with the ideas you have presented. If it were me (and I know it is not) and I wanted my data on the web, I would build the whole thing on the web and dump the desktop. You can create reports on the web easy enough and print them as needed. Navicate even ships with a pretty fair report builder that will satisfy most.

                  Good Luck with your project!
                  Dave Mason
                  [email protected]
                  Skype is dave.mason46

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Re: Plan to work with web and desktop

                    So the desktop style reports will run on the web with DBF files, but not when using an SQL backend, right? So, for instance, to print filtered lists of existing data, you would use a tool like Navicat or otherwise write SQL statements to produce and format reports in an SQL backend web based environment?
                    Richard Urban

                    Grocery Delivery Software for Stores and Entrepreneurs: http://www.urbangrocery.com

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Re: Plan to work with web and desktop

                      Navicat would only be for your Admin use. You cannot give Navicat access to any of your users because they will have unlimited access to your database.
                      Steve Wood
                      See my profile on IADN

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Re: Plan to work with web and desktop

                        Web reports can be built using several formats with all the possibilities that deskside offers. Others will correct me if wrong using alpha.

                        Navicat has a report writer available with the upper edition, but requires a viewer for the reports at (I think) 15.00 ea.
                        You should be able to create reports available for pdf's that would be viewable and downloadable without navicat or report writer using sql of whatever flavor.
                        Dave Mason
                        [email protected]
                        Skype is dave.mason46

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Re: Plan to work with web and desktop

                          Originally posted by richardurban View Post
                          So the desktop style reports will run on the web with DBF files, but not when using an SQL backend, right? So, for instance, to print filtered lists of existing data, you would use a tool like Navicat or otherwise write SQL statements to produce and format reports in an SQL backend web based environment?
                          Basically reports in SQL work just like reports in dbf. You can create a view using Navicat if you like (I do that a lot) and then use the view in grids, dialogs and reports. But if you prefer, you can write your select statement right in the report definition. DBF desktop reports will work on the web, but so will SQL reports work on either.
                          Peter
                          AlphaBase Solutions, LLC

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


                          Comment


                            #14
                            Re: Plan to work with web and desktop

                            Originally posted by richardurban View Post
                            I guess the desktop can have access to the My SQL server. It just needs an (always on) internet connection, right? I recently took a seminar on using SQL tables with Alpha Five with Steve Woods and Larry Grupido and they recommended against using the Active Link tables. Do you know of any particular disadvantages of using active link tables?
                            With the idea to import the MySQL data,would I then convert it on the desktop instead of the server? So that would eliminate the need to use FTP, as MySQL has its own protocol, and it would be secure?
                            If you use SQL on the desktop and your SQL data lives on another server, yes, you will need a connection.

                            I have an app that uses Active Link tables, they are a bit of a pain, but you can use regular desktop forms & browses, that's the advantage. Another method suggested by some is to use xdialog in which case you don't need Active Link tables. Or take the WCD route as recommended by Marcel.
                            Peter
                            AlphaBase Solutions, LLC

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


                            Comment


                              #15
                              Re: Plan to work with web and desktop

                              So the desktop style reports will run on the web with DBF files, but not when using an SQL backend, right?
                              no you can build reports on mysql data using sqldatasource as datasource and design the report.
                              as far as i know it is not easy to migrate easily from desktop to web with live data.
                              you could use sql like mysql build all components and reports then publish see if you are satisfied with that, then add the data from the desktop to the supporting tables then you can go live with the new website or have clean start.
                              you can access the mysql data using active link tables and it is not that easy or painless. wcd are better they might lack some functionality but can be converted to work with your new web side grids.
                              once you design tables using navicat pretty much everything else can be done with alpha. there is really no need to give navicat to anybody else other than yourself.

                              ps: i just looked at your site, it looks good and very functional.
                              Last edited by GGandhi; 06-30-2013, 08:49 PM. Reason: added ps
                              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

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