Re: Getting started - Interfacing questions

On Tue, Mar 08, 2005 at 11:58:40AM -0500, brew(at)theMode(dot)com wrote:

> On Mon, 7 Mar 2005, David wrote:

> > For example, the php-based front-ends require apache. It just seems
> > that in my case, at least, it's asking a lot to install apache on a
> > machine that will never do any web-serving elsewhere in order to access
> > a local database -- but -- perhaps the same could be said for using
> > postgresql on a database that might see 300 entries at most, but I
> > "wanna do it" :)

> You are thinking and planning too much about this! IMO, anyway.

Probably so.

> The very next step you should do is choose a type of computer (it is
> generally agreed the *nix is best for postgreSQL - but some prefer
> windows). Hey, I think you said you've got postgreSQL and psql running
> already somewhere, is that on a local windows machine?

Local Linux machine.

> Probably the quickest way to get your feet wet is to get an account on a
> *nix machine out on the web with PG and the language of your choice
> already set up. Then you copy in one of the simple working sample
> programs that use the language you choose and get it set up and running.
> Yes, it will be on the web. This is a good thing. After all, PG is a
> server database and there is a client built right into just about every
> computer in the world, the ubiqitious web browser.
>
> By that point you will see what changes you have to make to it for your
> needs, you will understand by doing it.
>
> Are you familiar with *nix?

Somewhat. As stated above, my machine is a Linux machine.

> It depends on what your motives are..... if you only want to set up a
> small database on a local machine you should probably be using some simple
> windows database made for that. If you want to learn about PostgreSQL you
> should probably move to Paris and learn French. (so to speak.... pun
> intended).
>
> Especially if you are doing this as a learning experience.
>
> So what are you running PG on now?
>
> > I've never tried anything with php, perl, or python, but I've thought I
> > should become familiar with at least one. I've been leaning toward
> > python. Most of what I've dealt with in the past several years has been
> > "C".
>
> php, perl or python are good choices. C is good, too, but it will take
> much longer to get it running.

I could probably get it going in "C" about as easily as anything else.
That is, if you are talking about writing an app from the ground up. I
actually have a working program to do what I'm wanting already, but it
is based upon a flat random-access file system. This program uses
curses-based screen I/O for the menus, forms, etc. So I think I could
use these and then rather than moving the data to/from the files, move
them to/from the SQL interface and let it handle the storage and
queries.

> But maybe I'm wrong. If you've got PG running on a windows machine
> already maybe someone else here can give you or point you to a simple
> example of some C client code that will compile and talk to your database
> server.

I don't think I'd have that much problem with the code.