Database newbie questions

[Rob Cozens]

Hi Dr. Brauer,

>a) which database would you suggest (I guess that Oracle, MySQL and 
>Valentina are my options)?

Developer Release 1 of SDB (Serendipity Database--Binary) is 
currently being tested by the Revolution IPC group 
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/revolution_ipc>.  I expect to release 
DR-2 shortly after the DR-2 version of the group's IPC library is 
available.  It will be released to the Rev community at large if I 
feel the IPC library is stable enough.

>
>b) is there an internal way of doing this instead of one of the 
>above databases?

The traditional HyperCard approach would entail creating a card for 
each record.

>
>c) will the standalone app then incorporate the database functions, 
>or will the enduser be required to have the database in question 
>installed on their computer as well?

I'm not sure what you are asking here.  The data itself can be in a 
stack, a text file, or a database file. Unless the data is being 
provided via a server app, it must reside in some location the 
enduser has access to.  I believe a Valentina db can be accessed 
directly by the standalone via an external, and that MySQL requires a 
separate server application running on the enduser's computer or over 
a  LAN.  SDB works in either mode with no differences in syntax.  SDB 
is hierarchical and does not support SQL query syntax.
-- 

Rob Cozens
CCW, Serendipity Software Company
http://www.oenolog.com/who.htm

"And I, which was two fooles, do so grow three;
Who are a little wise, the best fooles bee."

from "The Triple Foole" by John Donne (1572-1631)