Setting up a database frontend

clairudjinn has asked for the wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question:

Hello monks,

I've got a Postgres database with about 20,000 entries from the salmonid genome project. It's very very simple at this point. What I need to do is throw up a simple but effective web frontend for querying. I did a supersearch on "database frontend" and from this I extracted the following tools for doing this:

CGI
DBI/DBIx::HTMLinterface
HTML::Mason
LWP

as well as the book "Programming the Perl DBI" (which I happen to have). There were less than 30 threads in the sections I searched, and the relevant ones were from around 2001. Are these tools still the defacto standard? I've never done anything like this, including zero LWP or CGI experience (and yes, I will be visiting Ovid's CGI tutorial). What are your suggestions? Any ideas welcome.

Many thanks,

clairudjinn

Comment on Setting up a database frontend

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Re: Setting up a database frontend by valdez (Monsignor) on Mar 18, 2003 at 22:14 UTC
There is an interesting thread about CRUD applications (Create Read Update Delete) on CGI::Application mailing list. It uses CGI and HTML::Template, a 'must use' nowadays; applications that use this module can be easily ported under mod_perl for better performances. Ciao, Valerio	[reply]
Re: Setting up a database frontend by lacertus (Monk) on Mar 18, 2003 at 21:44 UTC
I am currently working on a similar project that involves inputting, reading from, and querying a Berkely DBASE. I really enjoy CGI programming (with Perl) because it is extremely powerful and allows you to expand capabilities with little frustration at a later time. So in short, I would recommend CGI in conjunction with HTML::Template (if so inclined, only necessary if the query page has to be homogenous with the rest of the site in terms of looks and feel). For someone who has never used CGI, you are going to want to shy away from Mason, at least for the time being. While it is enormously powerful, it has many traps and complications that can confuse the developer. For something as simple as what you are doing, stick with the CGI If you have more than a few days to carry out building this, go get Orielly's CGI Programming with Perl. You'll be up to speed in a day or two - and I mean that. Hope this hels. Ciao for Now, ~John	[reply]