dBASE Programming - Web app in plus

Author

Web app in plus

Rick

2006-12-08, 7:21 pm

I need some guidance on a project that will suppliement my plus app, which now runs on local area networks. Would like to set up an internet based system for collecting basic data (name, address, etc.) that would then flow to my app.

All I need is a basic input form that can get the data into a format (preferrably dbf) that can then be monitored by my app and uploaded as new records into the app running on a local area network.

As I understand it, I can develop something like this with dQuery, and test it with Apache. My concern is how flexible would this application be, i.e., can I deliver this with a runtime of plus and the BDE and can clients then run it on any web server, o
r would it be restircted to only certain types of servers?

Thanks for any ideas on this,
Rick

plus app.

I know there is dQuery for setting up a web application, but is it then possible to deliver this dQuery app to a client and have them easily install it on their own web server. have gotten the impression the

David Stone

2006-12-08, 7:21 pm

Rick wrote:

> I need some guidance on a project that will suppliement my plus app, which now runs on local area networks. Would like to set up an internet based system for collecting basic data (name, address, etc.) that would then flow to my app.
>
> All I need is a basic input form that can get the data into a format (preferrably dbf) that can then be monitored by my app and uploaded as new records into the app running on a local area network.
>
> As I understand it, I can develop something like this with dQuery, and test it with Apache. My concern is how flexible would this application be, i.e., can I deliver this with a runtime of plus and the BDE and can clients then run it on any web server,
or would it be restircted to only certain types of servers?

Rick, the server would have to be Wintel and have the BDE and runtime installed (as you mentioned), but then additionally setting it up to run dBASE web apps is not a trivial thing. Then there's the means of connecting it (data-wise) to your desktop app,
located perhaps elsewhere. Distributing such an app would
require the purchaser to be/employ a very knowledgeable IT person who has been sent detailed (w/ screenshots) instructions on all the above. IMO a dBASE turnkey (ala desktop app---install it and it runs as expected) web app is virtually impossible.

David

Rick

2006-12-09, 1:15 pm

David,

This is a must do project for me. Seems I could set it up and work out the detials of helping clients to install it on their web server, or give them the option of contracting with me to provide the service on my own web server.

Either way, will need to get started. I found in the online plus knowledgebase under documents a reference to AA Katz book, but the link seems to be broken. Do you know if the book exists and if it is a good place to get the details you spoke of?

The other articles on Web apps on the online plus site seem done quite some time ago. I also found a Dbulletin article on building a search engine, but that also seems done a while ago. Has anyone else put together these details you spoke of on getting
a web app up and running?

Thanks for the benefit of your experience on this,
Rick

David Stone Wrote:

> Rick wrote:
>
r, or would it be restircted to only certain types of servers?[vbcol=seagreen]
>
> Rick, the server would have to be Wintel and have the BDE and runtime installed (as you mentioned), but then additionally setting it up to run dBASE web apps is not a trivial thing. Then there's the means of connecting it (data-wise) to your desktop app
, located perhaps elsewhere. Distributing such an app would
> require the purchaser to be/employ a very knowledgeable IT person who has been sent detailed (w/ screenshots) instructions on all the above. IMO a dBASE turnkey (ala desktop app---install it and it runs as expected) web app is virtually impossible.
>
> David
>

David Ball

2006-12-09, 1:15 pm

Hi Rick

"Rick" <Sportman7@netzero.net> wrote
> This is a must do project for me. Seems I could set it up and work out
the
> detials of helping clients to install it on their web server, or give them
the
> option of contracting with me to provide the service on my own web
> server.

I agree with the previous David-reply. There are too many variables that may
be beyond the scope and/or control of your clients - networks, firewalls,
bizarre security policies, paranoid admins who won't install the runtime,
etc. It ain't rocket science and I'm sure many of your clients would be able
to do it, but for others, it would get messy and they will blame YOU and
your product when things don't work seamlessly.

If you have your own web server already set up, I would direct them to go
there and enter the data on your server, where you can have a form to accept
the data, without them having to do anything to their systems. (Always a
good idea to have a support site anyway, for news, updates, promotions,
etc.) Even if it's not a dBASE/Windows server, you may be able to build a
simple form in php or something to collect the data and mail it to you as
name/value pairs, as an example. Or ship them an email template with your
app, so that all they have to do is fill in some HTML email fields and email
it to you.

> Either way, will need to get started. I found in the online plus
knowledgebase under documents a reference to AA Katz book, but the link
seems to be broken. Do you know if the book exists and if it is a good
place to get the details you spoke of?

I don't think the Katz book exists.

A great place for tutorials is Prof Nuwer's dLearn website:
http://econ2.potsdam.edu/dLearn/WEB/index.html
Ken Mayer has written a dBASE book recently, which has a chapter on web
apps:
http://www.goldenstag.net/dbase/dBASEBook.htm

The dBASE web wizards can create basic data entry apps for you.

> The other articles on Web apps on the online plus site seem done quite
some time ago. I also found a Dbulletin article on building a search
engine, but that also seems done a while ago. Has anyone else put together
these details you spoke of on getting a web app up and running?

See above, and I'm sure there is lots of other info available right here on
the newsgroups.

I started working on some web server tutorials myself but gave up on it -
why reinvent the wheel? The basic web app technology has not changed.

David Ball
www.ChelseaData.ca

Rick

2006-12-09, 7:18 pm

David,

My goal is for my client to allow their clients to log in to the internet and enter their data, which will then be uploaded to my app. As long as the Web server is part of a LAN or WAN, then getting the data they enter to my app won't be a problem. The
only problem is figuring a way to get a simple internet app that will allow entry of the info. This will save lots of time for my client who will no longer need to enter their clients' data from paper forms.

One option is to have their clients enter data on my web server, then get that data to my client. But would have to charge for this service, and not sure my client will go for it.

I agree doing the internet app in plus and distributing has too many issues. I started looking into CGI and maybe using C or Perl. Have not looked into PHP, but do I understand correclty that if I were to build an interactive form for collecting basic i
nfo I could do so in php and then distribute it to clients who could install it on their servers?

Thanks again,
Rick

David Ball Wrote:

> Hi Rick
>
> "Rick" <Sportman7@netzero.net> wrote
> the
> the
>
> I agree with the previous David-reply. There are too many variables that may
> be beyond the scope and/or control of your clients - networks, firewalls,
> bizarre security policies, paranoid admins who won't install the runtime,
> etc. It ain't rocket science and I'm sure many of your clients would be able
> to do it, but for others, it would get messy and they will blame YOU and
> your product when things don't work seamlessly.
>
> If you have your own web server already set up, I would direct them to go
> there and enter the data on your server, where you can have a form to accept
> the data, without them having to do anything to their systems. (Always a
> good idea to have a support site anyway, for news, updates, promotions,
> etc.) Even if it's not a dBASE/Windows server, you may be able to build a
> simple form in php or something to collect the data and mail it to you as
> name/value pairs, as an example. Or ship them an email template with your
> app, so that all they have to do is fill in some HTML email fields and email
> it to you.
>
> knowledgebase under documents a reference to AA Katz book, but the link
> seems to be broken. Do you know if the book exists and if it is a good
> place to get the details you spoke of?
>
> I don't think the Katz book exists.
>
> A great place for tutorials is Prof Nuwer's dLearn website:
> http://econ2.potsdam.edu/dLearn/WEB/index.html
> Ken Mayer has written a dBASE book recently, which has a chapter on web
> apps:
> http://www.goldenstag.net/dbase/dBASEBook.htm
>
> The dBASE web wizards can create basic data entry apps for you.
>
> some time ago. I also found a Dbulletin article on building a search
> engine, but that also seems done a while ago. Has anyone else put together
> these details you spoke of on getting a web app up and running?
>
> See above, and I'm sure there is lots of other info available right here on
> the newsgroups.
>
> I started working on some web server tutorials myself but gave up on it -
> why reinvent the wheel? The basic web app technology has not changed.
>
> David Ball
> www.ChelseaData.ca
>
>

Rick

2006-12-09, 7:18 pm

Hi David,

Well, did some searching and better understand how php works. Sounds like that may be the way to go on this - to create in php and deliver it to my client, then write up code to upload the data they receive form the internet into my app.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

Rick

David Ball Wrote:

> Hi Rick
>
> "Rick" <Sportman7@netzero.net> wrote
> the
> the
>
> I agree with the previous David-reply. There are too many variables that may
> be beyond the scope and/or control of your clients - networks, firewalls,
> bizarre security policies, paranoid admins who won't install the runtime,
> etc. It ain't rocket science and I'm sure many of your clients would be able
> to do it, but for others, it would get messy and they will blame YOU and
> your product when things don't work seamlessly.
>
> If you have your own web server already set up, I would direct them to go
> there and enter the data on your server, where you can have a form to accept
> the data, without them having to do anything to their systems. (Always a
> good idea to have a support site anyway, for news, updates, promotions,
> etc.) Even if it's not a dBASE/Windows server, you may be able to build a
> simple form in php or something to collect the data and mail it to you as
> name/value pairs, as an example. Or ship them an email template with your
> app, so that all they have to do is fill in some HTML email fields and email
> it to you.
>
> knowledgebase under documents a reference to AA Katz book, but the link
> seems to be broken. Do you know if the book exists and if it is a good
> place to get the details you spoke of?
>
> I don't think the Katz book exists.
>
> A great place for tutorials is Prof Nuwer's dLearn website:
> http://econ2.potsdam.edu/dLearn/WEB/index.html
> Ken Mayer has written a dBASE book recently, which has a chapter on web
> apps:
> http://www.goldenstag.net/dbase/dBASEBook.htm
>
> The dBASE web wizards can create basic data entry apps for you.
>
> some time ago. I also found a Dbulletin article on building a search
> engine, but that also seems done a while ago. Has anyone else put together
> these details you spoke of on getting a web app up and running?
>
> See above, and I'm sure there is lots of other info available right here on
> the newsgroups.
>
> I started working on some web server tutorials myself but gave up on it -
> why reinvent the wheel? The basic web app technology has not changed.
>
> David Ball
> www.ChelseaData.ca
>
>

Christopher F. Neumann

2006-12-09, 7:18 pm

I deploy my web app with an instruction guide. Perhaps it will give you
insights to the security that is required.
http://howto.landisc.com/IIS6setup.doc

--

Christopher F. Neumann

[dBASE Gold Charter Member 107]
Blue Star Visual dBASE graduate
IWA-HWG Web Technologies Certified
IWA-HWG Web programming Certified
ICCP TCP/IP Network Analyst
Data Communications Engineer
IEEE-CS Affiliate
http://cfneumann.us

"Just hanging out on the Sagittarian arm of the Milky Way"

"Rick" <Sportman7@netzero.net> wrote in message
news:X1tV428GHHA.1976@news-server...
> David,
>
> My goal is for my client to allow their clients to log in to the internet
> and enter their data, which will then be uploaded to my app. As long as
> the Web server is part of a LAN or WAN, then getting the data they enter
> to my app won't be a problem. The only problem is figuring a way to get a
> simple internet app that will allow entry of the info. This will save
> lots of time for my client who will no longer need to enter their clients'
> data from paper forms.
>
> One option is to have their clients enter data on my web server, then get
> that data to my client. But would have to charge for this service, and
> not sure my client will go for it.
>
> I agree doing the internet app in plus and distributing has too many
> issues. I started looking into CGI and maybe using C or Perl. Have not
> looked into PHP, but do I understand correclty that if I were to build an
> interactive form for collecting basic info I could do so in php and then
> distribute it to clients who could install it on their servers?
>
> Thanks again,
> Rick
>
>
>
>
> David Ball Wrote:
>
>

David Ball

2006-12-10, 1:16 pm

Hi Rick

"Rick" <Sportman7@netzero.net> wrote
> Well, did some searching and better understand how php works.
> Sounds like that may be the way to go on this - to create in PHP
> and deliver it to my client, then write up code to upload the data
> they receive form the internet into my app.
> Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.
> Rick

Sorry if I've painted too rosy a picture.

I'm not sure what you read, but I provided php only as an alternative to
dBASE, but a more widely-used one which is more likely to be installed on an
existing commercial web server (php has a Windows version, but is more
likely to be found on Linux or Unix web servers). I did not intend it as a
different method for a client-installed web server, if I understand your
intentions written above. It would not be any easier for a client to have to
figure it out, as they would still have to deal with all those messy things
like setting up the web server software, networking, security, etc. which is
what I am trying to dissuade you from doing.

PS. I am not comfortable in this role, as I may be seen to be in a conflict
of interest. I run a small business hosting dBASE applications, so I may be
seen as trying to direct business my way by making it look too hard for
anyone to do themselves, which I'm not. I am happy to help _you_ or other
dBASE developers, with setting up a web server for your own use with dBASE.
But I don't know your customers, and they are probably more interested in
doing other things - that's why they're paying you to worry about software.

Thank you
David Ball
www.ChelseaData.ca

Rick

2006-12-10, 1:16 pm

Hi David,

Sorry if I misread the info you provided.

Most of my clients have IT departments already managing their web servers, so there is no initial set up of the web server involved. Others contract this out. Still others would probably be inclined to contract with me to provide a server for this.

I do have a concern that a client will be ruluctant to install plus on their server for whatever reason. Not sure how widespread this reluctance is, but php does sound like I will be less likely to hit that problem.

From what I read on PHP, it sounds likely that a client will already have php running on their server, and have experience installing php apps, making adding anything I send them much easier.

My inclinaton, therefore, is to set something basic up in php for the majority of my clients. I may then also set something up on my web server in plus that will give them more options should they wish to contract with me to provide the server.

My impression is that a web app like this is likely to be written in php or C or Perl. Of these, it looks like php would be the easiest for me to get something up quickly, and there appears to be a number of php templates available to provide me with a g
ood start.

If this all sounds off base, hope you'll let me know.

Thanks again,
Rick

David Ball Wrote:

> Hi Rick
>
> "Rick" <Sportman7@netzero.net> wrote
>
> Sorry if I've painted too rosy a picture.
>
> I'm not sure what you read, but I provided php only as an alternative to
> dBASE, but a more widely-used one which is more likely to be installed on an
> existing commercial web server (php has a Windows version, but is more
> likely to be found on Linux or Unix web servers). I did not intend it as a
> different method for a client-installed web server, if I understand your
> intentions written above. It would not be any easier for a client to have to
> figure it out, as they would still have to deal with all those messy things
> like setting up the web server software, networking, security, etc. which is
> what I am trying to dissuade you from doing.
>
> PS. I am not comfortable in this role, as I may be seen to be in a conflict
> of interest. I run a small business hosting dBASE applications, so I may be
> seen as trying to direct business my way by making it look too hard for
> anyone to do themselves, which I'm not. I am happy to help _you_ or other
> dBASE developers, with setting up a web server for your own use with dBASE.
> But I don't know your customers, and they are probably more interested in
> doing other things - that's why they're paying you to worry about software.
>
> Thank you
> David Ball
> www.ChelseaData.ca
>
>

Rick

2006-12-10, 1:16 pm

Hi Christopher,

Yes, this does look like a lot of details. You certainly did a nice job laying it all out, tho.

Thanks,
Rick

Christopher F. Neumann Wrote:

> I deploy my web app with an instruction guide. Perhaps it will give you
> insights to the security that is required.
> http://howto.landisc.com/IIS6setup.doc
>
> --
>
>
> Christopher F. Neumann
>
> [dBASE Gold Charter Member 107]
> Blue Star Visual dBASE graduate
> IWA-HWG Web Technologies Certified
> IWA-HWG Web programming Certified
> ICCP TCP/IP Network Analyst
> Data Communications Engineer
> IEEE-CS Affiliate
> http://cfneumann.us
>
> "Just hanging out on the Sagittarian arm of the Milky Way"
>
> "Rick" <Sportman7@netzero.net> wrote in message
> news:X1tV428GHHA.1976@news-server...
>
>

Geoff Wass [dBVIPS]

2007-01-09, 1:31 am

In article <GbmmwW8GHHA.1144@news-server>, Thanks.But@NoSpam.4.me=20
says...
> Hi Rick
>=20
> "Rick" <Sportman7@netzero.net> wrote
> the
hem[vbcol=seagreen]
> the
>=20
<snipped>
>=20
> knowledgebase under documents a reference to AA Katz book, but the link
> seems to be broken. Do you know if the book exists and if it is a good
> place to get the details you spoke of?
>=20
> I don't think the Katz book exists.
>=20
<snipped>

David & Rick,

The Alan Katz book was called "dBASEOnTheWeb.pdf" (electronic format=20
only) and came with dB2K if I recall correctly. I can find a link to it=20
on the dBI web site ( http://64.132.211.166/KnowledgeBase/root/docs.htm=20
), but unfortunately, all the links are dead. I think when they remade=20
their web site for Databased Intelligence some stuff got shuffled and a=20
number of links are now unintentionally dead.

I have just submitted a message to their web master, but if you find=20
other links which are dead please send additional messages to make the=20
company aware.

--=20
Geoff Wass [dBVIPS]
Montr=E9al, Qu=E9bec, Canada

David Ball

2007-01-15, 1:20 am

"Geoff Wass [dBVIPS]" wrote
David & Rick,
The Alan Katz book was called "dBASEOnTheWeb.pdf" (electronic format
only) and came with dB2K if I recall correctly. I can find a link to it
on the dBI web site ( http://64.132.211.166/KnowledgeBase/root/docs.htm
), but unfortunately, all the links are dead. I think when they remade
their web site for Databased Intelligence some stuff got shuffled and a
number of links are now unintentionally dead.

Thanks, Geoff

I had forgotten all about that; I thought it was put out as a preview
chapter or something, but I could be wrong - happens with alarming
regularity.

David Ball

Geoff Wass [dBVIPS]

2007-01-15, 1:20 am

In article <8biEBaEOHHA.1516@news-server>, Thanks.But@NoSpam.4.me=20
says...
> "Geoff Wass [dBVIPS]" wrote
> David & Rick,
> The Alan Katz book was called "dBASEOnTheWeb.pdf" (electronic format
> only) and came with dB2K if I recall correctly. I can find a link to it
> on the dBI web site ( http://64.132.211.166/KnowledgeBase/root/docs.htm
> ), but unfortunately, all the links are dead. I think when they remade
> their web site for Databased Intelligence some stuff got shuffled and a
> number of links are now unintentionally dead.
>=20
>=20
> Thanks, Geoff
>=20
> I had forgotten all about that; I thought it was put out as a preview
> chapter or something, but I could be wrong - happens with alarming
> regularity.
>=20
> David Ball
>=20
>=20
>=20
David & Rick,

dBASEOnTheWeb.pdf can be found elsewhere on the dBI site. See=20
http://www.dbase.com/dBase_Downloads.asp

** All reading this post and interested in dBASE and web-related=20
programming using dBASE should go through the whole KnowledgeBase (KB)=20
carefully. There are several useful articles and documentation.

--=20
Geoff Wass [dBVIPS]
Montr=E9al, Qu=E9bec, Canada

..|.|.| dBASE info at http://geocities.com/geoff_wass |.|.|.
..|.|.| ---------------------------------------------------------- |.|.|.
..|.|.| IT Consultant http://Geoff_Wass.com |.|.|.

Ken Mayer [dBVIPS]

2007-01-15, 1:15 pm

David Ball wrote:
> "Geoff Wass [dBVIPS]" wrote
> David & Rick,
> The Alan Katz book was called "dBASEOnTheWeb.pdf" (electronic format
> only) and came with dB2K if I recall correctly. I can find a link to it
> on the dBI web site ( http://64.132.211.166/KnowledgeBase/root/docs.htm
> ), but unfortunately, all the links are dead. I think when they remade
> their web site for Databased Intelligence some stuff got shuffled and a
> number of links are now unintentionally dead.
>
>
> Thanks, Geoff
>
> I had forgotten all about that; I thought it was put out as a preview
> chapter or something, but I could be wrong - happens with alarming
> regularity.

To the best of my knowledge, Alan never finished this. The one link was
a preview for a book that was never written.

Ken

--
/(Opinions expressed are purely my own, not those of dataBased
Intelligence, Inc.)/

*Ken Mayer* [dBVIPS]
/Golden Stag Productions/
dBASE at goldenstag dot net
http://www.goldenstag.net/dbase/dBASEBook.htm
http://www.goldenstag.net/GSP
http://www.goldenstag.net/dbase

Rick

2007-01-15, 1:15 pm

Geoff,

Thanks.

Rick

Geoff Wass [dBVIPS] Wrote:

> In article <8biEBaEOHHA.1516@news-server>, Thanks.But@NoSpam.4.me
> says...
> David & Rick,
>
> dBASEOnTheWeb.pdf can be found elsewhere on the dBI site. See
> http://www.dbase.com/dBase_Downloads.asp
>
> ** All reading this post and interested in dBASE and web-related
> programming using dBASE should go through the whole KnowledgeBase (KB)
> carefully. There are several useful articles and documentation.
>
> --
> Geoff Wass [dBVIPS]
> Montréal, Québec, Canada
>
> .|.|.| dBASE info at http://geocities.com/geoff_wass |.|.|.
> .|.|.| ---------------------------------------------------------- |.|.|.
> .|.|.| IT Consultant http://Geoff_Wass.com |.|.|.

Michael Nuwer

2007-01-15, 7:27 pm

Ken Mayer [dBVIPS] wrote:

>
>
> To the best of my knowledge, Alan never finished this. The one link was
> a preview for a book that was never written.

"dBASE on the Web" appears like a finished product. The pdf is 150
pages. But it was written for dBASE 7.5. The first 35 or so pages are
useful. They are an update of the paper Alan presented at the 1998
Borland conference (the same conference you did the reports paper at).
In the first 35 pages, Alan explains web and CGI technology and a bit
about webclass.cc. Page 59 ff. goes into great detail about the web
wizards. The stuff between pp. 35 and 59 is no longer relevant.

There was another book that Alan was working on, but it was not focused
only on web development. It was more about objects and containers.

Ken Mayer [dBVIPS]

2007-01-15, 7:27 pm

Michael Nuwer wrote:
> Ken Mayer [dBVIPS] wrote:
>
>
>
> "dBASE on the Web" appears like a finished product. The pdf is 150
> pages. But it was written for dBASE 7.5. The first 35 or so pages are
> useful. They are an update of the paper Alan presented at the 1998
> Borland conference (the same conference you did the reports paper at).
> In the first 35 pages, Alan explains web and CGI technology and a bit
> about webclass.cc. Page 59 ff. goes into great detail about the web
> wizards. The stuff between pp. 35 and 59 is no longer relevant.
>
> There was another book that Alan was working on, but it was not focused
> only on web development. It was more about objects and containers.

Ah, that must be what I was thinking of.

Ken

--
/(Opinions expressed are purely my own, not those of dataBased
Intelligence, Inc.)/

*Ken Mayer* [dBVIPS]
/Golden Stag Productions/
dBASE at goldenstag dot net
http://www.goldenstag.net/dbase/dBASEBook.htm
http://www.goldenstag.net/GSP
http://www.goldenstag.net/dbase