[GLLUG] General programming question

[Matt Graham]

On Thursday 01 August 2002 17:02, after a long battle with technology, 
Jason Green wrote:
> After a bit of research, I'm leaning towards PHP on Apache with
> PostgreSQL.  This will be used to develop an accounting system for a
> niche market with customizable reporting abilities

> I've never used PHP (and not much HTML), but have a decent amount of
> C/C++ knowledge.

PHP is IMHO closer to Perl than it is to C++, but the PHP syntax is very 
easy to pick up if you know C++.  You will need to know at least a 
little bit of HTML if you want to use PHP effectively.  A reasonable 
reference manual to HTML can be found at 
http://freespace.virgin.net/sizzling.jalfrezi .

> I like PostgreSQL's transaction support as well as the "better than
> record-level locking" they use.  This application will need to
> accommodate roughly 100 concurrent users.  

Postgres is certainly a fine database.  Provided the database server is 
beastly enough, you shouldn't have a big problem with 100 users at 
once.  Keep in mind that Slashdot runs on MySQL(!) and Slashdot gets 
more traffic than you'll ever get.

> I really like Access for it's rapid application deployment abilities, 

<DIGRESSION>
An application a couple of my cow-orkers use was developed in Java, with 
RAD tools.  That obviously saved the original programmer a lot of time.  
However, the completed app runs like a bloated sack, has inexplicable 
bugs, and has probably cost us over a hundred man-hours of time in 
covering up its deficiencies.  IMHO, RAD tools have their place, but 
anything that's going to be used in the real world needs to be built in 
something other than a RAD toolset.
</DIGRESSION>

> So, has anyone developed any applications with this kind of usage
> level? What would you recommend for database software, easy to
> manipulate front ends (and intuitive for end users), or other general
> suggestions?

2.5 years ago, I created a scheduling application (shift workers signing 
up for shifts, swapping shifts, saying "I can't be here from FOO to BAR 
on date BAZ, can someone cover for me?") that used PHP and Oracle.  
Later made it run on MySQL too.  It didn't have anywhere near the usage 
you're talking about, but I gave it a test script far exceeding normal 
usage, and managed to saturate the DSL line before the system load on 
the database server got over 2.0.  Its user interface was a mite 
confusing, but I never claimed to be a UI designer....

If you're using PHP and Postgres, you're not using a frontend.  PHP 
directly executes SQL queries and/or Postgres commands.  You can use 
PHP to *create* a specialized frontend application that will allow 
users to manipulate databases in various ways--that's the way it's 
usually used.

There doesn't seem to be an equivalent for "PHPMyAdmin" for PostgreSQL.  
PgAccess looks like the best starting point for a "similar to MS SQL 
Enterprise Manager".

> Any specific resources you've found helpful?

PHP tutorial:
http://hotwired.lycos.com/webmonkey/99/21/index2a.html

All right, it's a little basic/sparse, and oriented towards MySQL.  
Still could be useful.

PostgreSQL+PHP reference:
http://www.php.net/manual/en/ref.pgsql.php

> Oh yeah, if you have a suggestion for database software, which OS 
> works the best for it?  Thanks in advance!

There should not be any significant differences in performance between 
running PostgreSQL on a *BSD, Linux, or OS X machine.  Best way to 
improve database performance is to design your tables carefully (make 
good use of those primary keys) then go over your queries carefully and 
make sure they're not doing unnecessary garbage.  Second best is to 
load the server up with RAM.  Storing large objects inside a database 
might not be a good idea either--if you have a whole bunch of ~1M BLOBs 
to keep track of, it could be a good idea to put them on the filesystem 
and store pathnames in a table, instead of putting the BLOBs into the 
'base.

-- 
   I went to edit my info to change "system administrator type dude" to
   "porn star for hire", but all I got was a threat.
   --MegaHAL, trained on Netizen's quotes file
There is no Darkness in Eternity/But only Light too dim for us to see