Hi,
I'm planning to use dbman sql 2 to develop a web based business to business directory. I've purchased a copy of the program and have spent quite a bit of time seeing what it can / can't do.

I'm fairly experienced with databases in general and have used the original dbman quite a lot, but I'm finding it harder to get my brain round dbman-sql. I inagine there are quite a few others out there who have the same problem.

There are a number of things that I'd like to be able to do, but I can't immediately see how I would go about doing them. I'd be grateful for any suggestions from Gossamer Threads, or others.

I'm going to post my requests in separate threads following this one in the hope that this will be more useful for future visitors to the forum.

Thanks in advance for any help.


Tim Ault
Oxford UK

Many thanks Stone for the replies. We'll give those changes a try!
Tim Ault
Oxford UK

Yeah! That's the thing why I've given up to work with DBManSQL and do all the programming again by myself! Unfortunatly it's quicker and easier to do the programming without using DBManSQL.

Regards,
Manu

Shopping Portal Shop-Netz.de® | Partnerprogramme | Flugreisen & Billigflüge | KESTERMEDIA e.K. | European Affiliate Marketing Forum.

Manu,

That's interesting - I'd seen your postings in the forum and assumed you were getting on well with dbman-sql 2.

Our current plan is to try to use dbman-sql to handle the member side of the directory (sign up, log in, add / update company details, add / update details in some related tables). We're hoping we can also use the program for the search screens used by visitors to the site. If we can't make the searching work as we want it we'll use php.
Tim Ault
Oxford UK

No,

I use DBManSQL just as a "template engine" for my produkt-search for I think the documentatin of DBManSQL isn't good at all (for setting up project-issues) and the useabillity is bad (if you know how to use SQL and you want to do something with DBManSQL you get one problem after another and the you're going to do all the things with subs and plugins...so you can do the programming right without the program!)


.... Maybe I'm to stupid to use the program....

Regards,
Manu

Shopping Portal Shop-Netz.de® | Partnerprogramme | Flugreisen & Billigflüge | KESTERMEDIA e.K. | European Affiliate Marketing Forum.

Same here.

I think I have identified two major DBManSQL problems ...
1. The documentation looks like it was written by a programmer.
2. The default HTML templates look like they were written by a programmer.
Both are dreadful.

On the plus side ...
3. The Perl code is written and maintained by a team of pro Perl programmers.
That counts for a lot. Whatever the difficulties, you can pass on a DBManSQL project to a client, or anyone else, knowing that they will have continued support from GT and this forum.

We are hoping to use the next DBManSQL release for a public website. In fact we are ready for it now ...

The problems I have detected are:

1:

The documentation is good for seeing what DBManSQL-Admin function does what but not for seeing how this all works together to get a new project startet that fits the ideas of someone.



2:

Too many SQL limitations/restrictions for someone who knows how SQL works. As an approvement of this issue I would like to see the possibility to use SQL-psydo-Code in the templates instead of writing a sub after another!

Example:

<%SELECT * FROM db WHERE filed='xy'%>

<%results%> # loop of results (while results...)

<%ENDSELECT%>

Regards,
Manu

Shopping Portal Shop-Netz.de® | Partnerprogramme | Flugreisen & Billigflüge | KESTERMEDIA e.K. | European Affiliate Marketing Forum.

Does that mean you manage your database outside DBManSQL, but use DBManSQL for search, etc?

We have been thinking of doing something like that -- importing tables that have been built offline, then using DBManSQL mainly as a search engine.

Sorry for the late reply.



Yes that's true! I use DBManSQL just for searching and displaying-issues!

Regards,
Manu

Shopping Portal Shop-Netz.de® | Partnerprogramme | Flugreisen & Billigflüge | KESTERMEDIA e.K. | European Affiliate Marketing Forum.

Site is now live (with a few outstanding issues) at
http://www.international-leather-directory.com

Uses dbman sql 2 for the member area and php for the front end.

Many thanks to Stone and others at GT for help over the last few months.

best wishes
Tim Ault
Oxford UK