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SQL Back End?

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    SQL Back End?

    Ive seen other users on this forum with the words in the footer of their posts stating "Alpha x with SQL Back End". What exactly does this mean and how does one go about doing a SQL back end. Ive made quite a few databases using alpha software for my company( about 10+) and I use the native .dbf format for the tables. we do have this one database that is quite large (23,000+ records and growing) that runs a bit slow, will using sql help my situation and if so how do I go about doing that?

    #2
    Re: SQL Back End?

    Ivan

    Using SQL is a good idea in many cases.

    In others it isn't needed.

    Slowness is a dbf database with 23,000 records or 230,000 records maybe an indexing issue - ie an index is missing that is needed.

    If you haven't build an SQL database and have always used a dbf, I'd consider the learning curve prior to moving to SQL.

    But as far as how you would do this..

    1. Pick an SQL database. Many to chose from. MySQL, MS SQL, Oracle, and that's only a start.

    2. read some books - SQL for Dummies, Learn SQL using W3schools (among other sources of learning)

    3. Practice with a simple database - ie Alpha has an AlphaSports MySql version.
    Al Buchholz
    Bookwood Systems, LTD
    Weekly QReportBuilder Webinars Thursday 1 pm CST

    Occam's Razor - KISS
    Normalize till it hurts - De-normalize till it works.
    Advice offered and questions asked in the spirit of learning how to fish is better than someone giving you a fish.
    When we triage a problem it is much easier to read sample systems than to read a mind.
    "Make it as simple as possible, but not simpler."
    Albert Einstein

    http://www.iadn.com/images/media/iadn_member.png

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      #3
      Re: SQL Back End?

      Just adding something important to Al's list:

      Your .dbf data is perfectly portable to your SQL tables. That's a great bonus.

      Later, as you learn more about SQL --- especially Views --- you will find many ways to speed and improve the things you've done or will do.
      -Steve
      sigpic

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        #4
        Re: SQL Back End?

        I'd just throw in that Alpha's genies do a good job helping build queries and displaying queries in debugging that it's worth playing with those even before you feel like you've read enough to "know" it. I do wish I'd made some effort early on to "learn" it more, but my whole SQL education is Alpha genies, this and other forums found by Googling certain questions.

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          #5
          Re: SQL Back End?

          Hi Ivan,

          Before I moved to Alpha Five I worked for more than 20 years with Visual FoxPro. Also worked with Dot Net. DBF is an old format that every company can access it with no problem. But in my case when I was developing with Visual FoxPro DBF sometimes could be corrupted very easily.

          My Recommendation is to work with MS SQL and the free version can work up 10GB of a database. The difference between DBF to a MS SQL database is a day and night. MS SQL database is an engine on its own with the highest security possible and I never had any corruption with MS SQL database. You have a much better capability to manipulate data directly while using MS SQL.

          With DBF you will need an external engine to do any basic data manipulation.

          The reason I will avoid MySQL is that it is very difficult to find real database administrator (DBA) that can optimize and maintain it when it is really getting to be very big. I have one MySQL guy that work for me when an optimization is needed. (Was not easy to find him).

          MySQL is an open source even though Oracle owned that. Always when I get something for free it cost me more money at the end of the day. I would work with a product which is widely used and there is a company behind it.

          Working with a database such as MS SQL database is an engine on its own and it will be required some learning curve to concur that engine.

          In addition, you can create Views which are treated as data source as well and create stored procedure where you can execute sql script to manipulate data.

          Once you learned how to work with that engine the benefits are Hugh.

          Regards,

          Doron
          The Farber Consulting Group, Inc.

          Web site: http://www.dFarber.com
          MS SQL Blog: http://www.dfarber.com/computer-consulting-blog.aspx
          Convert Ms Access to Web
          MS SQL Remote DBA
          Alpha Five Development

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