My DB requirements are a full schema. I keep my Metal Detecting find information in an MS Access DB, it is not big but has about 20 tables, things like County, Monarch (if a coin), Metal, Item Class (e.g. Coin), Item Type (e.g. Penny), etc. Started but haven't finished an application to enter finds and want to include pics, view locations on google maps, bulk edit items, sort them/ query them any way I want, all that ****. Thought if I'm going to put all this effort in then maybe other people might want to use it so I'm asking what's the best DB setup to use so anybody on the net could install it and start recording their own finds without any technical know how? I was an Oracle developer for years but that's out of the question so wondering is it possible to have a setup of say sql server (bare bones) where the install takes care of all the user accounts/logins? Still probably not a goer as it relies on a service running and if that gets stopped the app won't run so we are getting into 24/7 telephone support territory... Guess what I really need is just a local DB file like Access but can run without Office installed. Have considered using my own text files but that's alot of work. Don't know anything about WMI will look into it cheers.
Ok, it sounds like you have relational requirements, and it's good you have Oracle knowledge because you understand what relational data is. Yep, you need a relational database. Forget WMI, it won't suit you. It could be contrived to do so but it's not what it was designed for. It's for minimal and object orientated storage. Forget CSV, it's non-relational. So, yer looking at lightweight relational databases, as you originally said. You can use XML files, a file for 'Country', another for 'Item', another for 'ItemType' etc each to their own XML Schema and relational rules, and a master XML file that pulls them together as a 'database' with relational rules. XML files containing data, with code accessing them via XPath and XQuery are highly capable of implementing a lightweight relational database. You have to write the XML Schemas and also the code that accesses your XML "database". That would allow you to install (download) an application that creates and configures it's own local database. You could also have initial data in any of the downloaded XML data files. Think of an XML data file as it were a table in Oracle. Implement relationships between tables(files) as XPath/XQuery constructs in your code. Otherwise, bite the bullet and install and configure an actual relational database which would put the onus on your downloaded app to do so. Given the brief outline of your requirements I would go with an XML based solution. ...or, you can just squirt them your Access database files. I don't know about that. I've successfully avoided Access throughout almost all my career.
Hmmm, so you are saying I'd have to write my own database engine to store stuff in xml files, was hoping there'd be something out there that already does that. There's a danger that this would cease to be a project to store metal detecting finds and instead become a project to invent a new database engine. Don't know what XQuery is, will look into it.
I'm not saying anything. You asked a question I gave you advice. You are not creating a new database engine. You are manipulating your own data stored as local XML files. If, for example, you write the app on the .NET platform you have huge amounts of help in doing so as regards XML/XPath/XQuery/XSL. Not only are multiple libraries available to you, you can also combine them via LINQ. Right, that's enough free consultancy. I will answer any specific questions you have but normally I get paid for this.
Dunno bugger all about XPath/XQuery but I've been working mostly with Oracle PL/SQL since 1998 so I do get the relational database thing.
**** you, stopme. The fuddy just read these posts and gave me a row for being a patronising dick. How did that happen?
Are you pair of ****s serious. Get yer XML/XPath/XQuery/XSL, hit f2 delete programme reboot, eat pizza, have a **** and fall asleep in your spunk stained pants dreaming of a better life.
You're a good all-rounder. Until I got this current job I had literally not worked on anything other than Oracle PL-SQL/TOAD for 14 years. Feel free to direct any Oracle queries you want optimising at me.
Fair enough. I didn't mean to be patronising and if it came across that way I apologise. It was not intended. I'm not that kind of bloke.
