RE: barcode scanner and automated shopping

["Keith Doxey" <ukha@xxxxxxx>]

If I might offer a suggestion...

PHP and mySQL

Apache ( optional )

PHP can run under IIS or Apache so will suit Linux and Windows platforms.
mySQL is available for Windows or Linux
Apache is available for Windows or Linux

My laptop currently runs IIS for my ASP/Access applications and Apache for
PHP/mySQL applications.

There is a whole load of ready written code for PHP that simplifies lots of
tasks, for instance, PHP Adodb. An application I have just completed at
wor=
k
will run on Windows, Linux, Solaris and can use Access, mySQL or Oracle.
Apart from a few slightly different SQL statements for the Oracle
implementation the only change I have to make to the PHP code is to define
the Database type. In fact, I chop and change so much during development
that I have all three specified and just rem out the two unwanted ones...

global $engine;
$engine =3D "access";
//$engine =3D "mysql";
//$engine =3D "oci8";

Where Oracle requires different SQL I just use an if statement...

if {$engine=3D=3D"oci8"){
<oracle specific stuff>
} else {
<generic stuff>
}

Adodb also takes care of all the quoting of variables in the insert or
update statements you just tell it to add quotes to the variable and it
add=
s
the correct type for the database in use :-)


Developing an implementation that can run on various platforms with gives
maximun choice for the end user and will work whether you love or hate
Windows/Linux.

There is another advantage with Apache/PHP/mySQL ...the price is right :-)


Keith

www.diyha.co.uk
www.kat5.tv


> -----Original Message-----
> From: jim [mailto:jim@xxxxxxx]
> Sent: 09 October 2003 10:35
> To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: [ukha_d] barcode scanner and automated shopping
>
>
> Stuart,
>
> Being a Microsoft Technologies person, (dont hate me :-))
>
> I was thinkig along the lines of:
>
> SQL Server database
> Web Front end for uploads and downloads and search etc.
> WebService interface (SOAP/XML etc) to allow apps to direct
> query the database
> and add and remove items.
>