My tail's starting to wag 
If that means anything. <G>
But SQL is not a "programming language" as much as it's a way to get data out of the database. perl is still the language, but rather than using fopen and <FILENAME> to read and get data, and complex code-based search/sort algorithms, the SQL database can do much of that for you. The way to interact with the database from perl, is to use the DBI
BD module (Database Independent atabase Dependent) module. It acts as an interface between perl, and the database you are trying to use.
On top of that interface, Alex has written an engine DBSQL.pm -- think of the DBDBI interface as DOS Command line, and DBSQL.pm a Windows style graphical interface.
Rather than calling all the low-level database functions, you can use simple (relatively) Object Oriented calls.
The real difference between Links 2.0 and SQL is that Links 2.0 is doing a heck of a lot of work less efficiently that the SQL database does for you fairly efficiently.
For most intents and purposes, your interaction with SQL directly will be very, very limited, and usually just changing the order (or data) requested from a query. Much of that has even been abstracted to the Links.pm file.
So, really, many, many modifications to the program are made in the Links.pm file and the templates.
"GLOBAL" variables and changes to what each template can do are set up in the HTML_Templates.pm file in the Links subdirectory.
For all purposes other than "hacking" those are the only files you need to edit or mess with.
As you have read, if you make a lot of changes to the database, sometimes you have to save or manually edit the .def files, but not often.
There are some really good books on perl and mySQL, (they are listed in the FAQ area) and I think there are 4 I have listed there. They are pretty much "essential". Added to that is he RegEx book.
If you are running on Linux or Solaris you need at least one, maybe two different sysadmin books (each will have a different view of important stuff, and different ways of attacking it). BSD there is the book that comes with the CD ROMS.
The first step to solving, or working on, a computer (or really any) problem is defining it. Defining it as simply and clearly as you can. Not just "I want the program to do x, y, z" but "I need the x-field to be added in the add.html (and where else do I need it?, what databases have to change, where do I need to pass it?)
Stuff like that.
The more you keep plugging away at this, the more you'll understand.
First step is to modify and fix up the templates to make your site look the way you want, then add fields you need added or changed, then try to work on code changes.
------------------
POSTCARDS.COM -- Everything Postcards on the Internet www.postcards.com
LinkSQL FAQ: www.postcards.com/FAQ/LinkSQL/
If that means anything. <G> But SQL is not a "programming language" as much as it's a way to get data out of the database. perl is still the language, but rather than using fopen and <FILENAME> to read and get data, and complex code-based search/sort algorithms, the SQL database can do much of that for you. The way to interact with the database from perl, is to use the DBI
BD module (Database Independent atabase Dependent) module. It acts as an interface between perl, and the database you are trying to use. On top of that interface, Alex has written an engine DBSQL.pm -- think of the DBD
BI interface as DOS Command line, and DBSQL.pm a Windows style graphical interface. Rather than calling all the low-level database functions, you can use simple (relatively) Object Oriented calls.
The real difference between Links 2.0 and SQL is that Links 2.0 is doing a heck of a lot of work less efficiently that the SQL database does for you fairly efficiently.
For most intents and purposes, your interaction with SQL directly will be very, very limited, and usually just changing the order (or data) requested from a query. Much of that has even been abstracted to the Links.pm file.
So, really, many, many modifications to the program are made in the Links.pm file and the templates.
"GLOBAL" variables and changes to what each template can do are set up in the HTML_Templates.pm file in the Links subdirectory.
For all purposes other than "hacking" those are the only files you need to edit or mess with.
As you have read, if you make a lot of changes to the database, sometimes you have to save or manually edit the .def files, but not often.
There are some really good books on perl and mySQL, (they are listed in the FAQ area) and I think there are 4 I have listed there. They are pretty much "essential". Added to that is he RegEx book.
If you are running on Linux or Solaris you need at least one, maybe two different sysadmin books (each will have a different view of important stuff, and different ways of attacking it). BSD there is the book that comes with the CD ROMS.
The first step to solving, or working on, a computer (or really any) problem is defining it. Defining it as simply and clearly as you can. Not just "I want the program to do x, y, z" but "I need the x-field to be added in the add.html (and where else do I need it?, what databases have to change, where do I need to pass it?)
Stuff like that.
The more you keep plugging away at this, the more you'll understand.
First step is to modify and fix up the templates to make your site look the way you want, then add fields you need added or changed, then try to work on code changes.
------------------
POSTCARDS.COM -- Everything Postcards on the Internet www.postcards.com
LinkSQL FAQ: www.postcards.com/FAQ/LinkSQL/
