I would suggest you don't use MS Access for your database, but rather adopt SQLite (DBD::SQLite). Both build databases in stand alone files, but SQLite actually conforms with SQL standards and has a much more consistent set of types. I say this as someone who has (and will likely continue to) wrangled .mdb files. SQLite is free, open source, and widely adopted - for example, it is the backend database for Firefox.
If you decide to stick with Access, I have gotten more mileage out of Jet connectors:
my $dbh = do {
my $access_db_file = 'file.mdb';
my $Provider='Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0';
my $db_passwd = '';
DBI->connect( "dbi:ADO:Provider=$Provider;
Data Source=$access_db_file;
Jet OLEDB:Database Password=$db_passwd;",
'',
'',
{
PrintError => 0,
RaiseError => 1,
AutoCommit => 0,
LongReadLen => 1024**2,
}
);
};
#11929 First ask yourself `How would I do this without a computer?' Then have the computer do it the same way.
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[d/l] |
Start with tutorials, see here. There are both tutorials for the language itself and for DB programming. Then write code and ask questions. You will get better and more helpful answers to questions about actual code than "how do I do X?".
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...I have no experience with perl
In that case, I'd suggest that you stick with MS Access, which has a reasonable Visual Basic development embedded, and is capable or rendering a UI familiar to Windows users. It also has GOOD debugging tools built-in.
In case I get clobbered for suggesting blasphemy on a perl site, my suggestion is based on relatively minor application scope (single purpose defined by the OP).
"You're only given one little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it." - Robin Williams
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In that case, I'd suggest that you stick with MS Access, which has a reasonable Visual Basic development embedded, and is capable or rendering a UI familiar to Windows users. It also has GOOD debugging tools built-in.
MSAccess/VisualBasic has barcode scanning readily available?
I think hardware is the limiting factor here ... how are you going to scan the barcodes
In case I get clobbered for suggesting blasphemy on a perl site, my suggestion is based on relatively minor application scope (single purpose defined by the OP). NetWallah , It is never blasphemy to make your job easier :) even if it isn't in perl
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[d/l] |
MSAccess/VisualBasic has barcode scanning readily available?
There are barcode scanners that can emulate keyboard input. As I recall, the app reading the barcodes has to recognize a hot-key pattern that precedes the virtual keystrokes representing the barcode date (and maybe a second hot-key that follows). This was several years ago. While easy to work with, they were significantly more expensive than the ones that just sent bytes of binary data.
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Not knowing anything about barcode reading apps, I was hoping there was an external executable or library that ms access could call to get the barcode data.
"You're only given one little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it." - Robin Williams
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