Thank you for your advice. It's making me think hard about this.

As it turns out, I am actually quite familiar with SQL. However, my familiarity with SQL is only partly relevant.

What I'm implementing is a script that can be configured by people who use my software to connect to whatever database they have on their Web server. What kind of configuration options do they see in my software? I am pretty sure none of my users know SQL, so I will try to avoid having them type in any SQL statements. Instead, I will likely have them choose from a list of databases, and have them type in the name, and other distinguishing information for the database. If their database is not in the list, I plan to provide some way for them to create a custom configuration.

At the outset, I am planning to have SQL statements inside my script for creating tables, and retrieving, inserting and editing records - should be very simple stuff. If, for example, it turns out that there isn't one SQL statement that will create a table in whatever database the user selects, then I will need to make the table-creating SQL statement part of the parameters that come with the selected database. I'm already betting that I will need to do this. It may turn out that all SQL statements will be parameters that come with the selected database. This is a paranoid approach that says I don't know everything about all databases.

This means that if a user doesn't see her kind of database in the list, she will create a new set of parameters and type in the SQL statement for creating a table and any other SQL statement that I cannot make work for all databases. I can of course help her on the telephone. If having another abstraction layer avoids my users from having to type SQL statements for custom databases it is worth investigating.

Also, I'm considering SQLite only as an alternative like any of the other databases (Oracle, SQL Server, MS Access, mySQL, etc.), where a user can choose to use a SQLite database to store the information for the script. SQLite would be just another database as far as the script is concerned. CSV might also be that way, but since CSV is already supported by the script, I haven't decided if the CSV implementation will be replaced.

Thank you again,

Richard

In reply to Re: Re: Re: To DBI or not to DBI by rzward
in thread To DBI or not to DBI by rzward

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