New to MySQL and I'm confused!

[w_curtis]

I'm an Access user, and I'm trying to learn MySQL and then PHP so I can make
some web databases. But it just isn't clicking.

I've followed some tutorials, and picked up a book, but just getting to
square one has been a pain. I can follow the tutorials and get to the point
where I can make tables and stuff, but I don't know how I got there, or what
to do if something changes that makes it different than the tutorial.

MySQL doesn't seem to be like any other program I've used. Usually, I can
install a program, and then there's a little icon on my desktop, I click on
it, and there is the program.

But with MySQL, I install it, and it starts running as a service, but I
still can't see it. So I have to use a command prompt to talk to it. But
the commands to do this are anything but intuitive, and the tutorials I've
seen (from DevShed, the official site, and a few others) gloss over this
part like I'm already supposed to know how it works. Sometimes, I can get
it to work, and sometimes I can't. Users, passwords, ports, And this is
on my own computer. I don't even want to think of what this is like on a
network, or the internet. Or trying to get a program to talk to it
automatically.

Is there a good primer on the mechanics of how I'm supposed to actually
interface with this program? Can I skip the whole command-line thing and
just get a GUI? I imagine I'll still need to know about connecting and
stuff with a GUI.

[Aggro]

w_curtis wrote:

I'm an Access user, and I'm trying to learn MySQL and then PHP so I can make
some web databases. But it just isn't clicking.

That is true, and it is because MySQL is a real database, while Access
is just a toy (looks nice, but you can't do much usefull stuff with it)
IMHO.

The main purpose of a database server is to be a server. Then you can
find the UI or GUI you like to interact with it. There are both console
and graphical intercases for MySQL, but I prefer mysql console program.

If you know SQL it is quite easy to interact with the console program,
but if not, you should learn it, if you are going to do database
software. You should learn it, because without understanding SQL it is
very hard to make fast and efficient queries, which are required in
web-programming.

# To start the console program:
# ( Assuming you have mysql installed in C:\MySQL\ )
# ( Assuming you have not set up the root password yet )
# ( If you have root password use: mysql -u root -p )

C:\> cd c:\mysql\bin\
c:\mysql\bin> mysql -u root

Welcome to the MySQL monitor. Commands end with ; or \g.
Your MySQL connection id is 129 to server version: 3.23.49-log

Type 'help;' or '\h' for help. Type '\c' to clear the buffer.

mysql>

# When you see this, you are in mysql console and you can
# for example create a database, select database, create table there
# insert data into table, and select the data,
# and finally we will drop the database, which will destroy
# the tables, inserted data and database. Of course if you are
# doing something for real life, you don't need to drop database,
# it is just to remove our test-database. Be carefull not to
# drop mysql database with this command.:

mysql> create database mydatabasename;
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.01 sec)

mysql> use mydatabasename;
Database changed

mysql> create table mytablename( id int unsigned, name varchar(255) );
Query OK, 0 rows affected (0.00 sec)

mysql> insert into mytablename values( 1, 'Jack' );
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.00 sec)

mysql> insert into mytablename values( 2, 'Lisa' );
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.00 sec)

mysql> select * from mytablename;
+------+------+
| id | name |
+------+------+
| 1 | Jack |
| 2 | Lisa |
+------+------+
2 rows in set (0.01 sec)

mysql> drop database mydatabasename;
Query OK, 3 rows affected (0.00 sec)

If you fail to do all that, please tell us where it fails and we will
see if we can fix that problem.

What comes to GUI programs, I don't know much about them, since I don't
use them. However someone else might answer to that question, or you
could try searching the answer for example with Google.

[Aggro]

w_curtis wrote:

I'm an Access user, and I'm trying to learn MySQL and then PHP so I can make
some web databases. But it just isn't clicking.

That is true, and it is because MySQL is a real database, while Access
is just a toy (looks nice, but you can't do much usefull stuff with it)
IMHO.

The main purpose of a database server is to be a server. Then you can
find the UI or GUI you like to interact with it. There are both console
and graphical intercases for MySQL, but I prefer mysql console program.

If you know SQL it is quite easy to interact with the console program,
but if not, you should learn it, if you are going to do database
software. You should learn it, because without understanding SQL it is
very hard to make fast and efficient queries, which are required in
web-programming.

# To start the console program:
# ( Assuming you have mysql installed in C:\MySQL\ )
# ( Assuming you have not set up the root password yet )
# ( If you have root password use: mysql -u root -p )

C:\> cd c:\mysql\bin\
c:\mysql\bin> mysql -u root

Welcome to the MySQL monitor. Commands end with ; or \g.
Your MySQL connection id is 129 to server version: 3.23.49-log

Type 'help;' or '\h' for help. Type '\c' to clear the buffer.

mysql>

# When you see this, you are in mysql console and you can
# for example create a database, select database, create table there
# insert data into table, and select the data,
# and finally we will drop the database, which will destroy
# the tables, inserted data and database. Of course if you are
# doing something for real life, you don't need to drop database,
# it is just to remove our test-database. Be carefull not to
# drop mysql database with this command.:

mysql> create database mydatabasename;
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.01 sec)

mysql> use mydatabasename;
Database changed

mysql> create table mytablename( id int unsigned, name varchar(255) );
Query OK, 0 rows affected (0.00 sec)

mysql> insert into mytablename values( 1, 'Jack' );
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.00 sec)

mysql> insert into mytablename values( 2, 'Lisa' );
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.00 sec)

mysql> select * from mytablename;
+------+------+
| id | name |
+------+------+
| 1 | Jack |
| 2 | Lisa |
+------+------+
2 rows in set (0.01 sec)

mysql> drop database mydatabasename;
Query OK, 3 rows affected (0.00 sec)

If you fail to do all that, please tell us where it fails and we will
see if we can fix that problem.

What comes to GUI programs, I don't know much about them, since I don't
use them. However someone else might answer to that question, or you
could try searching the answer for example with Google.

[Aggro]

w_curtis wrote:

I'm an Access user, and I'm trying to learn MySQL and then PHP so I can make
some web databases. But it just isn't clicking.

That is true, and it is because MySQL is a real database, while Access
is just a toy (looks nice, but you can't do much usefull stuff with it)
IMHO.

The main purpose of a database server is to be a server. Then you can
find the UI or GUI you like to interact with it. There are both console
and graphical intercases for MySQL, but I prefer mysql console program.

If you know SQL it is quite easy to interact with the console program,
but if not, you should learn it, if you are going to do database
software. You should learn it, because without understanding SQL it is
very hard to make fast and efficient queries, which are required in
web-programming.

# To start the console program:
# ( Assuming you have mysql installed in C:\MySQL\ )
# ( Assuming you have not set up the root password yet )
# ( If you have root password use: mysql -u root -p )

C:\> cd c:\mysql\bin\
c:\mysql\bin> mysql -u root

Welcome to the MySQL monitor. Commands end with ; or \g.
Your MySQL connection id is 129 to server version: 3.23.49-log

Type 'help;' or '\h' for help. Type '\c' to clear the buffer.

mysql>

# When you see this, you are in mysql console and you can
# for example create a database, select database, create table there
# insert data into table, and select the data,
# and finally we will drop the database, which will destroy
# the tables, inserted data and database. Of course if you are
# doing something for real life, you don't need to drop database,
# it is just to remove our test-database. Be carefull not to
# drop mysql database with this command.:

mysql> create database mydatabasename;
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.01 sec)

mysql> use mydatabasename;
Database changed

mysql> create table mytablename( id int unsigned, name varchar(255) );
Query OK, 0 rows affected (0.00 sec)

mysql> insert into mytablename values( 1, 'Jack' );
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.00 sec)

mysql> insert into mytablename values( 2, 'Lisa' );
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.00 sec)

mysql> select * from mytablename;
+------+------+
| id | name |
+------+------+
| 1 | Jack |
| 2 | Lisa |
+------+------+
2 rows in set (0.01 sec)

mysql> drop database mydatabasename;
Query OK, 3 rows affected (0.00 sec)

If you fail to do all that, please tell us where it fails and we will
see if we can fix that problem.

What comes to GUI programs, I don't know much about them, since I don't
use them. However someone else might answer to that question, or you
could try searching the answer for example with Google.

[Jeff North]

On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 03:16:42 GMT, in mailing.database.mysql "w_curtis"
<an**@yahoo.com> wrote:

| I'm an Access user, and I'm trying to learn MySQL and then PHP so I can make
| some web databases. But it just isn't clicking.
|
| I've followed some tutorials, and picked up a book, but just getting to
| square one has been a pain. I can follow the tutorials and get to the point
| where I can make tables and stuff, but I don't know how I got there, or what
| to do if something changes that makes it different than the tutorial.
MSAccess hides a lot of the table creation and manipulation commands
from you.

If you have the mysql help file look under create table, alter table,
update table and drop table for starters.
| MySQL doesn't seem to be like any other program I've used. Usually, I can
| install a program, and then there's a little icon on my desktop, I click on
| it, and there is the program.
That's all you need. To access the database you need to use the
command-line prompt.
| But with MySQL, I install it, and it starts running as a service, but I
| still can't see it. So I have to use a command prompt to talk to it. But
| the commands to do this are anything but intuitive, and the tutorials I've
| seen (from DevShed, the official site, and a few others) gloss over this
| part like I'm already supposed to know how it works. Sometimes, I can get
| it to work, and sometimes I can't. Users, passwords, ports, And this is
| on my own computer. I don't even want to think of what this is like on a
| network, or the internet. Or trying to get a program to talk to it
| automatically.
mySQL needs to know where the database is (-host) who you are and what
privileges you have(-user) and if your a valid user (-password).

Unlike Access, mysql can contain many databases so you need to tell
mysql which one you want to work on.
| Is there a good primer on the mechanics of how I'm supposed to actually
| interface with this program? Can I skip the whole command-line thing and
| just get a GUI? I imagine I'll still need to know about connecting and
| stuff with a GUI.

If you want a GUI interface then try:
http://www.mysql.com/downloads/mysqlcc.html

If you want a php/web interface try:
http://www.phpmyadmin.net/home_page/

mySQL off-line help files:
http://www.mysql.com/documentation/index.html

You'll also need the ODBC driver if you plan to link to MSAccess
database:
http://www.mysql.com/downloads/api-myodbc-3.51.html

Once you've mastered these then you will need to know how to create
DSN or DSN-less connections. www.asp101.com is a good source.

Tip: when creating (complex) queries for you web pages I would stick
to using MSAccess query builder and copy/paste the sql statement.
Create a DSN connection, create a new database and link the mysql
tables to the access database. This will allow you to use MSAccess as
the front-end for adding data and writing queries. Because the tables
are linked you can not edit them.
---------------------------------------------------------------
jn****@yourpantsbigpond.net.au : Remove your pants to reply
---------------------------------------------------------------

[Jeff North]

On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 03:16:42 GMT, in mailing.database.mysql "w_curtis"
<an**@yahoo.com> wrote:

| I'm an Access user, and I'm trying to learn MySQL and then PHP so I can make
| some web databases. But it just isn't clicking.
|
| I've followed some tutorials, and picked up a book, but just getting to
| square one has been a pain. I can follow the tutorials and get to the point
| where I can make tables and stuff, but I don't know how I got there, or what
| to do if something changes that makes it different than the tutorial.
MSAccess hides a lot of the table creation and manipulation commands
from you.

If you have the mysql help file look under create table, alter table,
update table and drop table for starters.
| MySQL doesn't seem to be like any other program I've used. Usually, I can
| install a program, and then there's a little icon on my desktop, I click on
| it, and there is the program.
That's all you need. To access the database you need to use the
command-line prompt.
| But with MySQL, I install it, and it starts running as a service, but I
| still can't see it. So I have to use a command prompt to talk to it. But
| the commands to do this are anything but intuitive, and the tutorials I've
| seen (from DevShed, the official site, and a few others) gloss over this
| part like I'm already supposed to know how it works. Sometimes, I can get
| it to work, and sometimes I can't. Users, passwords, ports, And this is
| on my own computer. I don't even want to think of what this is like on a
| network, or the internet. Or trying to get a program to talk to it
| automatically.
mySQL needs to know where the database is (-host) who you are and what
privileges you have(-user) and if your a valid user (-password).

Unlike Access, mysql can contain many databases so you need to tell
mysql which one you want to work on.
| Is there a good primer on the mechanics of how I'm supposed to actually
| interface with this program? Can I skip the whole command-line thing and
| just get a GUI? I imagine I'll still need to know about connecting and
| stuff with a GUI.

If you want a GUI interface then try:
http://www.mysql.com/downloads/mysqlcc.html

If you want a php/web interface try:
http://www.phpmyadmin.net/home_page/

mySQL off-line help files:
http://www.mysql.com/documentation/index.html

You'll also need the ODBC driver if you plan to link to MSAccess
database:
http://www.mysql.com/downloads/api-myodbc-3.51.html

Once you've mastered these then you will need to know how to create
DSN or DSN-less connections. www.asp101.com is a good source.

Tip: when creating (complex) queries for you web pages I would stick
to using MSAccess query builder and copy/paste the sql statement.
Create a DSN connection, create a new database and link the mysql
tables to the access database. This will allow you to use MSAccess as
the front-end for adding data and writing queries. Because the tables
are linked you can not edit them.
---------------------------------------------------------------
jn****@yourpantsbigpond.net.au : Remove your pants to reply
---------------------------------------------------------------

[Ed Seedhouse]

On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 09:04:50 +0000, Aggro wrote:

w_curtis wrote:

I'm an Access user, and I'm trying to learn MySQL and then
PHP so I can make some web databases. But it just isn't
clicking.

That is true, and it is because MySQL is a real database,
while Access is just a toy (looks nice, but you can't do
much usefull stuff with it) IMHO.

That's just silly. I'm a big MySQL fan, but calling Access a
"toy" is nonsense. For one thing Access is actually, at present,
more truly a "relational" database than MySQL.

Big problem with Access is it's data storage engine, (jet) which
fails to scale well to decenly big databases. Combine it with a
server back end and that problem pretty well goes away. Too bad
the designed in back end that reallt works well with it is Microsoft
SQL Server which costs the really big bucks.

That doesn't change the fact that combined with SQL Server, Access
can and does work great on some really big database systems.

Access can be combined with MySQL via MyODBC and works quite well
as a front end tool. Unfortunately the ODBC interface to MySQL
adds it's own limitations to the system.

Still, I have found it easier to write an administration front end
for most of my MySQL/PHP/HTML projects using Access than to try to
write it in PHP/MySQL. PhpMyAdmin is unfortunately not yet to the
point where I can use it to allow a newcomer to databases to
administer a database system I've set up for them. Access has tools
that allow me to do this quickly and easily such that someone who
has never used a database system before can be trained to administer
the data quite quickly.

For someone moving "up" from Access to MySQL the transition really
requires learning *three* languages and that's not easy. You have
to learn SQL, PHP or Perl, and then you have to learn to make
HTML web pages.

[Ed Seedhouse]

On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 09:04:50 +0000, Aggro wrote:

w_curtis wrote:

I'm an Access user, and I'm trying to learn MySQL and then
PHP so I can make some web databases. But it just isn't
clicking.

That is true, and it is because MySQL is a real database,
while Access is just a toy (looks nice, but you can't do
much usefull stuff with it) IMHO.

That's just silly. I'm a big MySQL fan, but calling Access a
"toy" is nonsense. For one thing Access is actually, at present,
more truly a "relational" database than MySQL.

Big problem with Access is it's data storage engine, (jet) which
fails to scale well to decenly big databases. Combine it with a
server back end and that problem pretty well goes away. Too bad
the designed in back end that reallt works well with it is Microsoft
SQL Server which costs the really big bucks.

That doesn't change the fact that combined with SQL Server, Access
can and does work great on some really big database systems.

Access can be combined with MySQL via MyODBC and works quite well
as a front end tool. Unfortunately the ODBC interface to MySQL
adds it's own limitations to the system.

Still, I have found it easier to write an administration front end
for most of my MySQL/PHP/HTML projects using Access than to try to
write it in PHP/MySQL. PhpMyAdmin is unfortunately not yet to the
point where I can use it to allow a newcomer to databases to
administer a database system I've set up for them. Access has tools
that allow me to do this quickly and easily such that someone who
has never used a database system before can be trained to administer
the data quite quickly.

For someone moving "up" from Access to MySQL the transition really
requires learning *three* languages and that's not easy. You have
to learn SQL, PHP or Perl, and then you have to learn to make
HTML web pages.

[Jeff North]

On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 03:16:42 GMT, in mailing.database.mysql "w_curtis"
<an**@yahoo.com> wrote:

| I'm an Access user, and I'm trying to learn MySQL and then PHP so I can make
| some web databases. But it just isn't clicking.
|
| I've followed some tutorials, and picked up a book, but just getting to
| square one has been a pain. I can follow the tutorials and get to the point
| where I can make tables and stuff, but I don't know how I got there, or what
| to do if something changes that makes it different than the tutorial.
MSAccess hides a lot of the table creation and manipulation commands
from you.

If you have the mysql help file look under create table, alter table,
update table and drop table for starters.
| MySQL doesn't seem to be like any other program I've used. Usually, I can
| install a program, and then there's a little icon on my desktop, I click on
| it, and there is the program.
That's all you need. To access the database you need to use the
command-line prompt.
| But with MySQL, I install it, and it starts running as a service, but I
| still can't see it. So I have to use a command prompt to talk to it. But
| the commands to do this are anything but intuitive, and the tutorials I've
| seen (from DevShed, the official site, and a few others) gloss over this
| part like I'm already supposed to know how it works. Sometimes, I can get
| it to work, and sometimes I can't. Users, passwords, ports, And this is
| on my own computer. I don't even want to think of what this is like on a
| network, or the internet. Or trying to get a program to talk to it
| automatically.
mySQL needs to know where the database is (-host) who you are and what
privileges you have(-user) and if your a valid user (-password).

Unlike Access, mysql can contain many databases so you need to tell
mysql which one you want to work on.
| Is there a good primer on the mechanics of how I'm supposed to actually
| interface with this program? Can I skip the whole command-line thing and
| just get a GUI? I imagine I'll still need to know about connecting and
| stuff with a GUI.

If you want a GUI interface then try:
http://www.mysql.com/downloads/mysqlcc.html

If you want a php/web interface try:
http://www.phpmyadmin.net/home_page/

mySQL off-line help files:
http://www.mysql.com/documentation/index.html

You'll also need the ODBC driver if you plan to link to MSAccess
database:
http://www.mysql.com/downloads/api-myodbc-3.51.html

Once you've mastered these then you will need to know how to create
DSN or DSN-less connections. www.asp101.com is a good source.

Tip: when creating (complex) queries for you web pages I would stick
to using MSAccess query builder and copy/paste the sql statement.
Create a DSN connection, create a new database and link the mysql
tables to the access database. This will allow you to use MSAccess as
the front-end for adding data and writing queries. Because the tables
are linked you can not edit them.
---------------------------------------------------------------
jn****@yourpantsbigpond.net.au : Remove your pants to reply
---------------------------------------------------------------

[Andrew DeFaria]

Ed Seedhouse wrote:

For someone moving "up" from Access to MySQL the transition really
requires learning *three* languages and that's not easy. You have to
learn SQL, PHP or Perl, and then you have to learn to make HTML web pages.

That's making the assumption that the goal is to have an HTML page and
to manipulate a DB on the other end. Seems to me that even Access users,
given such requirements, would need to learn SQL, a programming
language and HTML to do the same.

--
3 kinds of people: those who can count & those who can't.

[Andrew DeFaria]

Ed Seedhouse wrote:

For someone moving "up" from Access to MySQL the transition really
requires learning *three* languages and that's not easy. You have to
learn SQL, PHP or Perl, and then you have to learn to make HTML web pages.

That's making the assumption that the goal is to have an HTML page and
to manipulate a DB on the other end. Seems to me that even Access users,
given such requirements, would need to learn SQL, a programming
language and HTML to do the same.

--
3 kinds of people: those who can count & those who can't.

[Ed Seedhouse]

On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 09:04:50 +0000, Aggro wrote:

w_curtis wrote:

I'm an Access user, and I'm trying to learn MySQL and then
PHP so I can make some web databases. But it just isn't
clicking.

That is true, and it is because MySQL is a real database,
while Access is just a toy (looks nice, but you can't do
much usefull stuff with it) IMHO.

That's just silly. I'm a big MySQL fan, but calling Access a
"toy" is nonsense. For one thing Access is actually, at present,
more truly a "relational" database than MySQL.

Big problem with Access is it's data storage engine, (jet) which
fails to scale well to decenly big databases. Combine it with a
server back end and that problem pretty well goes away. Too bad
the designed in back end that reallt works well with it is Microsoft
SQL Server which costs the really big bucks.

That doesn't change the fact that combined with SQL Server, Access
can and does work great on some really big database systems.

Access can be combined with MySQL via MyODBC and works quite well
as a front end tool. Unfortunately the ODBC interface to MySQL
adds it's own limitations to the system.

Still, I have found it easier to write an administration front end
for most of my MySQL/PHP/HTML projects using Access than to try to
write it in PHP/MySQL. PhpMyAdmin is unfortunately not yet to the
point where I can use it to allow a newcomer to databases to
administer a database system I've set up for them. Access has tools
that allow me to do this quickly and easily such that someone who
has never used a database system before can be trained to administer
the data quite quickly.

For someone moving "up" from Access to MySQL the transition really
requires learning *three* languages and that's not easy. You have
to learn SQL, PHP or Perl, and then you have to learn to make
HTML web pages.

[Ed Seedhouse]

On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 10:32:22 -0800, Andrew DeFaria wrote:

Ed Seedhouse wrote:

For someone moving "up" from Access to MySQL the
transition really requires learning *three* languages
and that's not easy. You have to learn SQL, PHP or Perl,
and then you have to learn to make HTML web pages.

That's making the assumption that the goal is to have an HTML
page and to manipulate a DB on the other end. Seems to me that
even Access users, given such requirements, would need to learn
SQL, a programming language and HTML to do the same.

Actually Access can create dynamic web pages from an Access database
if you don't mind a fairly ugly and simplistic result. I prefer to
use PHP to create dynamic web pages, personally, but it can be done,
after a fashion, from Access just by point and click if you'll accept
the defaults.

Ed

[Ed Seedhouse]

On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 10:32:22 -0800, Andrew DeFaria wrote:

Ed Seedhouse wrote:

For someone moving "up" from Access to MySQL the
transition really requires learning *three* languages
and that's not easy. You have to learn SQL, PHP or Perl,
and then you have to learn to make HTML web pages.

That's making the assumption that the goal is to have an HTML
page and to manipulate a DB on the other end. Seems to me that
even Access users, given such requirements, would need to learn
SQL, a programming language and HTML to do the same.

Actually Access can create dynamic web pages from an Access database
if you don't mind a fairly ugly and simplistic result. I prefer to
use PHP to create dynamic web pages, personally, but it can be done,
after a fashion, from Access just by point and click if you'll accept
the defaults.

Ed

[Andrew DeFaria]

Ed Seedhouse wrote:

Actually Access can create dynamic web pages from an Access database
if you don't mind a fairly ugly and simplistic result. I prefer to use
PHP to create dynamic web pages, personally, but it can be done, after
a fashion, from Access just by point and click if you'll accept the
defaults.

Just goes to show you how much I know about Access (i.e. nothing).
However, realistically, if you are going to develop web pages that
access databases for real you're gonna have to learn at at least those
languages (if not more or different sets).
--
E-mail returned to sender -- insufficient voltage.

[Andrew DeFaria]

Ed Seedhouse wrote:

Actually Access can create dynamic web pages from an Access database
if you don't mind a fairly ugly and simplistic result. I prefer to use
PHP to create dynamic web pages, personally, but it can be done, after
a fashion, from Access just by point and click if you'll accept the
defaults.

Just goes to show you how much I know about Access (i.e. nothing).
However, realistically, if you are going to develop web pages that
access databases for real you're gonna have to learn at at least those
languages (if not more or different sets).
--
E-mail returned to sender -- insufficient voltage.

[Andrew DeFaria]

Ed Seedhouse wrote:

For someone moving "up" from Access to MySQL the transition really
requires learning *three* languages and that's not easy. You have to
learn SQL, PHP or Perl, and then you have to learn to make HTML web pages.

That's making the assumption that the goal is to have an HTML page and
to manipulate a DB on the other end. Seems to me that even Access users,
given such requirements, would need to learn SQL, a programming
language and HTML to do the same.

--
3 kinds of people: those who can count & those who can't.

[mcnewsxp]

most developers who have never used access have many misconceptions about
and kind accept heresay as judgement. truth is you can do tons of *real*
stuff with it and it is heavily relied on in many businesses. it is even
somewhat scalable whn you link to a SQL or other ODBC backend. i din't know
this either until i was in an environment where it is used by people who are
not programmers but must maintain lots of data. they invariably develop
themselves into a corner and need a pro to fix things, but it is pretty
interesting to see what bright people can do with access without proper
training.

however, i would not choose it and i would not reckomend it to anyone for
anything accept maybe a modeling tool for someone who doesn't program. once
a spec is prototyped i'd use a true DB and dev tools.

[mcnewsxp]

most developers who have never used access have many misconceptions about
and kind accept heresay as judgement. truth is you can do tons of *real*
stuff with it and it is heavily relied on in many businesses. it is even
somewhat scalable whn you link to a SQL or other ODBC backend. i din't know
this either until i was in an environment where it is used by people who are
not programmers but must maintain lots of data. they invariably develop
themselves into a corner and need a pro to fix things, but it is pretty
interesting to see what bright people can do with access without proper
training.

however, i would not choose it and i would not reckomend it to anyone for
anything accept maybe a modeling tool for someone who doesn't program. once
a spec is prototyped i'd use a true DB and dev tools.

[Ed Seedhouse]

On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 10:32:22 -0800, Andrew DeFaria wrote:

Ed Seedhouse wrote:

For someone moving "up" from Access to MySQL the
transition really requires learning *three* languages
and that's not easy. You have to learn SQL, PHP or Perl,
and then you have to learn to make HTML web pages.

That's making the assumption that the goal is to have an HTML
page and to manipulate a DB on the other end. Seems to me that
even Access users, given such requirements, would need to learn
SQL, a programming language and HTML to do the same.

Actually Access can create dynamic web pages from an Access database
if you don't mind a fairly ugly and simplistic result. I prefer to
use PHP to create dynamic web pages, personally, but it can be done,
after a fashion, from Access just by point and click if you'll accept
the defaults.

Ed

[Andrew DeFaria]

Ed Seedhouse wrote:

Actually Access can create dynamic web pages from an Access database
if you don't mind a fairly ugly and simplistic result. I prefer to use
PHP to create dynamic web pages, personally, but it can be done, after
a fashion, from Access just by point and click if you'll accept the
defaults.

Just goes to show you how much I know about Access (i.e. nothing).
However, realistically, if you are going to develop web pages that
access databases for real you're gonna have to learn at at least those
languages (if not more or different sets).
--
E-mail returned to sender -- insufficient voltage.

[Ed Seedhouse]

On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 19:39:25 -0800, Andrew DeFaria wrote:

Ed Seedhouse wrote:

Actually Access can create dynamic web pages from an Access database

Just goes to show you how much I know about Access (i.e. nothing).
However, realistically, if you are going to develop web pages that
access databases for real you're gonna have to learn at at least
those languages (if not more or different sets).

Not really. IF you combine Access with Microsoft SQL Server you
can do all of that with VBA and ADO using Access as a front end and
SQL Server on the back end. Of course you have to pay out lots and
lots of money for all those licences, but lots of big companies with
big databases to manage have don it.

If you want to do it *cheap*, however, Linux or FreeBSD along with
MySQL or PosgreSQL, Apache as a server and php, perl, python or
the like, is the way to go and it can compete quite nicely with
the big boys. Indeed some of the big boys use it. More and more
all the time.

But let's not call Access a "toy" because, however you might feel
about Microsoft it is most definitely not a "toy" or anything like
a toy. Give the devil his due.

[Ed Seedhouse]

On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 19:39:25 -0800, Andrew DeFaria wrote:

Ed Seedhouse wrote:

Actually Access can create dynamic web pages from an Access database

Just goes to show you how much I know about Access (i.e. nothing).
However, realistically, if you are going to develop web pages that
access databases for real you're gonna have to learn at at least
those languages (if not more or different sets).

Not really. IF you combine Access with Microsoft SQL Server you
can do all of that with VBA and ADO using Access as a front end and
SQL Server on the back end. Of course you have to pay out lots and
lots of money for all those licences, but lots of big companies with
big databases to manage have don it.

If you want to do it *cheap*, however, Linux or FreeBSD along with
MySQL or PosgreSQL, Apache as a server and php, perl, python or
the like, is the way to go and it can compete quite nicely with
the big boys. Indeed some of the big boys use it. More and more
all the time.

But let's not call Access a "toy" because, however you might feel
about Microsoft it is most definitely not a "toy" or anything like
a toy. Give the devil his due.

[Andrew DeFaria]

mcnewsxp wrote:

most developers who have never used access have many misconceptions
about and kind accept heresay as judgement. truth is you can do tons
of *real* stuff with it and it is heavily relied on in many
businesses. it is even somewhat scalable whn you link to a SQL or
other ODBC backend.
But isn't Access supposed to be it's own DB? Why then would you be
linking it to an SQL or other backend?!? Or are you just saying that it
doesn't scale well (IOW it's more a toy than a tool).
i din't know this either until i was in an environment where it is
used by people who are not programmers but must maintain lots of data.
they invariably develop themselves into a corner and need a pro to fix
things, but it is pretty interesting to see what bright people can do
with access without proper training.
A small business can also probably do the same with paper and pencil.
however, i would not choose it and i would not reckomend it to anyone
for anything accept maybe a modeling tool for someone who doesn't
program. once a spec is prototyped i'd use a true DB and dev tools.

--
A conclusion is simply the place where you got tired of thinking.

[Andrew DeFaria]

mcnewsxp wrote:

most developers who have never used access have many misconceptions
about and kind accept heresay as judgement. truth is you can do tons
of *real* stuff with it and it is heavily relied on in many
businesses. it is even somewhat scalable whn you link to a SQL or
other ODBC backend.
But isn't Access supposed to be it's own DB? Why then would you be
linking it to an SQL or other backend?!? Or are you just saying that it
doesn't scale well (IOW it's more a toy than a tool).
i din't know this either until i was in an environment where it is
used by people who are not programmers but must maintain lots of data.
they invariably develop themselves into a corner and need a pro to fix
things, but it is pretty interesting to see what bright people can do
with access without proper training.
A small business can also probably do the same with paper and pencil.
however, i would not choose it and i would not reckomend it to anyone
for anything accept maybe a modeling tool for someone who doesn't
program. once a spec is prototyped i'd use a true DB and dev tools.

--
A conclusion is simply the place where you got tired of thinking.

[mcnewsxp]

most developers who have never used access have many misconceptions about
and kind accept heresay as judgement. truth is you can do tons of *real*
stuff with it and it is heavily relied on in many businesses. it is even
somewhat scalable whn you link to a SQL or other ODBC backend. i din't know
this either until i was in an environment where it is used by people who are
not programmers but must maintain lots of data. they invariably develop
themselves into a corner and need a pro to fix things, but it is pretty
interesting to see what bright people can do with access without proper
training.

however, i would not choose it and i would not reckomend it to anyone for
anything accept maybe a modeling tool for someone who doesn't program. once
a spec is prototyped i'd use a true DB and dev tools.

[Andrew DeFaria]

Ed Seedhouse wrote:

On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 19:39:25 -0800, Andrew DeFaria wrote:

Ed Seedhouse wrote:

Actually Access can create dynamic web pages from an Access database
Just goes to show you how much I know about Access (i.e. nothing).
However, realistically, if you are going to develop web pages that
access databases for real you're gonna have to learn at at least
those languages (if not more or different sets).

Not really. IF you combine Access with Microsoft SQL Server

If Access is a DB then why are you combining it with a DB?!?
you can do all of that with VBA and ADO using Access as a front end
and SQL Server on the back end.
Which means you need to learn SQL, VBA (instead of Perl/Php) and HTML
anyway (that is if you are doing anything right and not simply accepting
all the default generations of the web page and/or DB which are ugly and
rarely acceptable in anything worth while).
Of course you have to pay out lots and lots of money for all those
licences, but lots of big companies with
big databases to manage have don it.
Yes and you get to pay a lot to boot! Many companies to fall for this
but any company concern about performance/portability and scalability
doesn't.
If you want to do it *cheap*, however, Linux or FreeBSD along with
MySQL or PosgreSQL, Apache as a server and php, perl, python or the
like, is the way to go and it can compete quite nicely with the big
boys. Indeed some of the big boys use it. More and more all the time.
Because they are figuring out that the cost effectiveness, scalability
and additional complexity of MS solution quite simply is not worth it.
But let's not call Access a "toy" because, however you might feel
about Microsoft it is most definitely not a "toy" or anything like a
toy. Give the devil his due.

It's a toy that some people take too seriously. It's good for
prototyping and perhaps small jobs.
--
Just what part of "NO" didn't you understand?

[Andrew DeFaria]

Ed Seedhouse wrote:

On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 19:39:25 -0800, Andrew DeFaria wrote:

Ed Seedhouse wrote:

Actually Access can create dynamic web pages from an Access database
Just goes to show you how much I know about Access (i.e. nothing).
However, realistically, if you are going to develop web pages that
access databases for real you're gonna have to learn at at least
those languages (if not more or different sets).

Not really. IF you combine Access with Microsoft SQL Server

If Access is a DB then why are you combining it with a DB?!?
you can do all of that with VBA and ADO using Access as a front end
and SQL Server on the back end.
Which means you need to learn SQL, VBA (instead of Perl/Php) and HTML
anyway (that is if you are doing anything right and not simply accepting
all the default generations of the web page and/or DB which are ugly and
rarely acceptable in anything worth while).
Of course you have to pay out lots and lots of money for all those
licences, but lots of big companies with
big databases to manage have don it.
Yes and you get to pay a lot to boot! Many companies to fall for this
but any company concern about performance/portability and scalability
doesn't.
If you want to do it *cheap*, however, Linux or FreeBSD along with
MySQL or PosgreSQL, Apache as a server and php, perl, python or the
like, is the way to go and it can compete quite nicely with the big
boys. Indeed some of the big boys use it. More and more all the time.
Because they are figuring out that the cost effectiveness, scalability
and additional complexity of MS solution quite simply is not worth it.
But let's not call Access a "toy" because, however you might feel
about Microsoft it is most definitely not a "toy" or anything like a
toy. Give the devil his due.

It's a toy that some people take too seriously. It's good for
prototyping and perhaps small jobs.
--
Just what part of "NO" didn't you understand?

[Ed Seedhouse]

On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 19:39:25 -0800, Andrew DeFaria wrote:

Ed Seedhouse wrote:

Actually Access can create dynamic web pages from an Access database

Just goes to show you how much I know about Access (i.e. nothing).
However, realistically, if you are going to develop web pages that
access databases for real you're gonna have to learn at at least
those languages (if not more or different sets).

Not really. IF you combine Access with Microsoft SQL Server you
can do all of that with VBA and ADO using Access as a front end and
SQL Server on the back end. Of course you have to pay out lots and
lots of money for all those licences, but lots of big companies with
big databases to manage have don it.

If you want to do it *cheap*, however, Linux or FreeBSD along with
MySQL or PosgreSQL, Apache as a server and php, perl, python or
the like, is the way to go and it can compete quite nicely with
the big boys. Indeed some of the big boys use it. More and more
all the time.

But let's not call Access a "toy" because, however you might feel
about Microsoft it is most definitely not a "toy" or anything like
a toy. Give the devil his due.

[Jeff]

"Andrew DeFaria" <An****@DeFaria.com> wrote

But isn't Access supposed to be it's own DB? Why then would you be
linking it to an SQL or other backend?!?

..
Access has a front end and a back end. They can be used entirely separate
from each other.

Example 1
Access front end
One Access application can easily utilize many different data sources. In
the past, I had a single Access app which used Access, text files, Excel
files, MS SQL and MS Exchange for data sources. I could read and send mail,
plus read and write to text, Excel and SQL.

Example 2
Access back end
I have built ASP pages which use an Access *.mdb file for data storage. It
allows using small portable files behind your web pages, no database server
is required. I think (I haven't used PHP/MySql) this is very similar to PHP
and MySQL. The connection points to a file instead of a server.

These days I rely mostly on ASP and MS SQL. Access does not fit my needs.

But for many situations it works great. And heavy use of Access taught me
all about data manipulation, SQL syntax, ODBC, ADO and Visual Basic.

[Jeff]

"Andrew DeFaria" <An****@DeFaria.com> wrote

But isn't Access supposed to be it's own DB? Why then would you be
linking it to an SQL or other backend?!?

..
Access has a front end and a back end. They can be used entirely separate
from each other.

Example 1
Access front end
One Access application can easily utilize many different data sources. In
the past, I had a single Access app which used Access, text files, Excel
files, MS SQL and MS Exchange for data sources. I could read and send mail,
plus read and write to text, Excel and SQL.

Example 2
Access back end
I have built ASP pages which use an Access *.mdb file for data storage. It
allows using small portable files behind your web pages, no database server
is required. I think (I haven't used PHP/MySql) this is very similar to PHP
and MySQL. The connection points to a file instead of a server.

These days I rely mostly on ASP and MS SQL. Access does not fit my needs.

But for many situations it works great. And heavy use of Access taught me
all about data manipulation, SQL syntax, ODBC, ADO and Visual Basic.

[Andrew DeFaria]

mcnewsxp wrote:

most developers who have never used access have many misconceptions
about and kind accept heresay as judgement. truth is you can do tons
of *real* stuff with it and it is heavily relied on in many
businesses. it is even somewhat scalable whn you link to a SQL or
other ODBC backend.
But isn't Access supposed to be it's own DB? Why then would you be
linking it to an SQL or other backend?!? Or are you just saying that it
doesn't scale well (IOW it's more a toy than a tool).
i din't know this either until i was in an environment where it is
used by people who are not programmers but must maintain lots of data.
they invariably develop themselves into a corner and need a pro to fix
things, but it is pretty interesting to see what bright people can do
with access without proper training.
A small business can also probably do the same with paper and pencil.
however, i would not choose it and i would not reckomend it to anyone
for anything accept maybe a modeling tool for someone who doesn't
program. once a spec is prototyped i'd use a true DB and dev tools.

--
A conclusion is simply the place where you got tired of thinking.

[Andrew DeFaria]

Ed Seedhouse wrote:

On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 19:39:25 -0800, Andrew DeFaria wrote:

Ed Seedhouse wrote:

Actually Access can create dynamic web pages from an Access database
Just goes to show you how much I know about Access (i.e. nothing).
However, realistically, if you are going to develop web pages that
access databases for real you're gonna have to learn at at least
those languages (if not more or different sets).

Not really. IF you combine Access with Microsoft SQL Server

If Access is a DB then why are you combining it with a DB?!?
you can do all of that with VBA and ADO using Access as a front end
and SQL Server on the back end.
Which means you need to learn SQL, VBA (instead of Perl/Php) and HTML
anyway (that is if you are doing anything right and not simply accepting
all the default generations of the web page and/or DB which are ugly and
rarely acceptable in anything worth while).
Of course you have to pay out lots and lots of money for all those
licences, but lots of big companies with
big databases to manage have don it.
Yes and you get to pay a lot to boot! Many companies to fall for this
but any company concern about performance/portability and scalability
doesn't.
If you want to do it *cheap*, however, Linux or FreeBSD along with
MySQL or PosgreSQL, Apache as a server and php, perl, python or the
like, is the way to go and it can compete quite nicely with the big
boys. Indeed some of the big boys use it. More and more all the time.
Because they are figuring out that the cost effectiveness, scalability
and additional complexity of MS solution quite simply is not worth it.
But let's not call Access a "toy" because, however you might feel
about Microsoft it is most definitely not a "toy" or anything like a
toy. Give the devil his due.

It's a toy that some people take too seriously. It's good for
prototyping and perhaps small jobs.
--
Just what part of "NO" didn't you understand?

[Jeff]

"Andrew DeFaria" <An****@DeFaria.com> wrote

But isn't Access supposed to be it's own DB? Why then would you be
linking it to an SQL or other backend?!?

..
Access has a front end and a back end. They can be used entirely separate
from each other.

Example 1
Access front end
One Access application can easily utilize many different data sources. In
the past, I had a single Access app which used Access, text files, Excel
files, MS SQL and MS Exchange for data sources. I could read and send mail,
plus read and write to text, Excel and SQL.

Example 2
Access back end
I have built ASP pages which use an Access *.mdb file for data storage. It
allows using small portable files behind your web pages, no database server
is required. I think (I haven't used PHP/MySql) this is very similar to PHP
and MySQL. The connection points to a file instead of a server.

These days I rely mostly on ASP and MS SQL. Access does not fit my needs.

But for many situations it works great. And heavy use of Access taught me
all about data manipulation, SQL syntax, ODBC, ADO and Visual Basic.

[Ed Seedhouse]

On Wed, 21 Jan 2004 08:54:02 -0800, Andrew DeFaria wrote:

mcnewsxp wrote:

most developers who have never used access have many
misconceptions about and kind accept heresay as judgement. But isn't Access supposed to be it's own DB?
Talk about accepting hearsay as evidence!! "Supposed to be"?
Supposed to be by who?

Not my Microsoft, which as a matter of observable fact provides
ways to bypass "jet" altogether and hook directly into MS SQL Server,
for example.
Why then would you be linking it to an SQL or other backend?!?

Because the producers of the program actually designed it to be
able to do that perhaps? What do you think ADO is all about,
anyway? Or have you even heard of that?
A small business can also probably do the same with paper and
pencil. however, i would not choose it and i would not reckomend
it to anyone

But, since you quite obviously know virtually nothing about it, and
rely on your predjudices instead of mere facts, why do you think
you're advice would be any good to anyone?

Access is, to my mind, actually one of the nicer aspects of their
whole "office" product. That doesn't mean I would use it over other
better or more appropriate tools. But calling it a "toy" is just
silly and shows mere predjudice, not reasoning ability.
Ed

[Ed Seedhouse]

On Wed, 21 Jan 2004 08:54:02 -0800, Andrew DeFaria wrote:

mcnewsxp wrote:

most developers who have never used access have many
misconceptions about and kind accept heresay as judgement. But isn't Access supposed to be it's own DB?
Talk about accepting hearsay as evidence!! "Supposed to be"?
Supposed to be by who?

Not my Microsoft, which as a matter of observable fact provides
ways to bypass "jet" altogether and hook directly into MS SQL Server,
for example.
Why then would you be linking it to an SQL or other backend?!?

Because the producers of the program actually designed it to be
able to do that perhaps? What do you think ADO is all about,
anyway? Or have you even heard of that?
A small business can also probably do the same with paper and
pencil. however, i would not choose it and i would not reckomend
it to anyone

But, since you quite obviously know virtually nothing about it, and
rely on your predjudices instead of mere facts, why do you think
you're advice would be any good to anyone?

Access is, to my mind, actually one of the nicer aspects of their
whole "office" product. That doesn't mean I would use it over other
better or more appropriate tools. But calling it a "toy" is just
silly and shows mere predjudice, not reasoning ability.
Ed

[Ed Seedhouse]

On Wed, 21 Jan 2004 08:59:22 -0800, Andrew DeFaria wrote:

Ed Seedhouse wrote:

On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 19:39:25 -0800, Andrew DeFaria wrote:

Ed Seedhouse wrote:

Actually Access can create dynamic web pages from an Access database

Just goes to show you how much I know about Access (i.e. nothing).
However, realistically, if you are going to develop web pages that
access databases for real you're gonna have to learn at at least
those languages (if not more or different sets).

Not really. IF you combine Access with Microsoft SQL Server

If Access is a DB then why are you combining it with a DB?!?

I give up. You are not interested in reasonable discussion, you
are just a name caller, and probably a troll to boot. Goodbye.

[Ed Seedhouse]

On Wed, 21 Jan 2004 08:59:22 -0800, Andrew DeFaria wrote:

Ed Seedhouse wrote:

On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 19:39:25 -0800, Andrew DeFaria wrote:

Ed Seedhouse wrote:

Actually Access can create dynamic web pages from an Access database

Just goes to show you how much I know about Access (i.e. nothing).
However, realistically, if you are going to develop web pages that
access databases for real you're gonna have to learn at at least
those languages (if not more or different sets).

Not really. IF you combine Access with Microsoft SQL Server

If Access is a DB then why are you combining it with a DB?!?

I give up. You are not interested in reasonable discussion, you
are just a name caller, and probably a troll to boot. Goodbye.

[Ed Seedhouse]

On Wed, 21 Jan 2004 08:54:02 -0800, Andrew DeFaria wrote:

mcnewsxp wrote:

most developers who have never used access have many
misconceptions about and kind accept heresay as judgement. But isn't Access supposed to be it's own DB?
Talk about accepting hearsay as evidence!! "Supposed to be"?
Supposed to be by who?

Not my Microsoft, which as a matter of observable fact provides
ways to bypass "jet" altogether and hook directly into MS SQL Server,
for example.
Why then would you be linking it to an SQL or other backend?!?

Because the producers of the program actually designed it to be
able to do that perhaps? What do you think ADO is all about,
anyway? Or have you even heard of that?
A small business can also probably do the same with paper and
pencil. however, i would not choose it and i would not reckomend
it to anyone

But, since you quite obviously know virtually nothing about it, and
rely on your predjudices instead of mere facts, why do you think
you're advice would be any good to anyone?

Access is, to my mind, actually one of the nicer aspects of their
whole "office" product. That doesn't mean I would use it over other
better or more appropriate tools. But calling it a "toy" is just
silly and shows mere predjudice, not reasoning ability.
Ed

[Ed Seedhouse]

On Wed, 21 Jan 2004 08:59:22 -0800, Andrew DeFaria wrote:

Ed Seedhouse wrote:

On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 19:39:25 -0800, Andrew DeFaria wrote:

Ed Seedhouse wrote:

Actually Access can create dynamic web pages from an Access database

Just goes to show you how much I know about Access (i.e. nothing).
However, realistically, if you are going to develop web pages that
access databases for real you're gonna have to learn at at least
those languages (if not more or different sets).

Not really. IF you combine Access with Microsoft SQL Server

If Access is a DB then why are you combining it with a DB?!?

I give up. You are not interested in reasonable discussion, you
are just a name caller, and probably a troll to boot. Goodbye.

[w_curtis]

Thanks all. Since we don't have too many records (maybe 500 a year), Access
has served us really well, even if it isn't a "real" database. I'm trying
out some GUI's for MySQL, and reading some more tutorials to see if I can
take it slow and get the hang of it.

Thanks again.
"w_curtis" <an**@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:u4*******************@newsread1.news.pas.eart hlink.net...

I'm an Access user, and I'm trying to learn MySQL and then PHP so I can make some web databases. But it just isn't clicking.

I've followed some tutorials, and picked up a book, but just getting to
square one has been a pain. I can follow the tutorials and get to the point where I can make tables and stuff, but I don't know how I got there, or what to do if something changes that makes it different than the tutorial.

MySQL doesn't seem to be like any other program I've used. Usually, I can install a program, and then there's a little icon on my desktop, I click on it, and there is the program.

But with MySQL, I install it, and it starts running as a service, but I
still can't see it. So I have to use a command prompt to talk to it. But
the commands to do this are anything but intuitive, and the tutorials I've
seen (from DevShed, the official site, and a few others) gloss over this
part like I'm already supposed to know how it works. Sometimes, I can get
it to work, and sometimes I can't. Users, passwords, ports, And this is
on my own computer. I don't even want to think of what this is like on a
network, or the internet. Or trying to get a program to talk to it
automatically.

Is there a good primer on the mechanics of how I'm supposed to actually
interface with this program? Can I skip the whole command-line thing and
just get a GUI? I imagine I'll still need to know about connecting and
stuff with a GUI.

[w_curtis]

Thanks all. Since we don't have too many records (maybe 500 a year), Access
has served us really well, even if it isn't a "real" database. I'm trying
out some GUI's for MySQL, and reading some more tutorials to see if I can
take it slow and get the hang of it.

Thanks again.
"w_curtis" <an**@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:u4*******************@newsread1.news.pas.eart hlink.net...

I'm an Access user, and I'm trying to learn MySQL and then PHP so I can make some web databases. But it just isn't clicking.

I've followed some tutorials, and picked up a book, but just getting to
square one has been a pain. I can follow the tutorials and get to the point where I can make tables and stuff, but I don't know how I got there, or what to do if something changes that makes it different than the tutorial.

MySQL doesn't seem to be like any other program I've used. Usually, I can install a program, and then there's a little icon on my desktop, I click on it, and there is the program.

But with MySQL, I install it, and it starts running as a service, but I
still can't see it. So I have to use a command prompt to talk to it. But
the commands to do this are anything but intuitive, and the tutorials I've
seen (from DevShed, the official site, and a few others) gloss over this
part like I'm already supposed to know how it works. Sometimes, I can get
it to work, and sometimes I can't. Users, passwords, ports, And this is
on my own computer. I don't even want to think of what this is like on a
network, or the internet. Or trying to get a program to talk to it
automatically.

Is there a good primer on the mechanics of how I'm supposed to actually
interface with this program? Can I skip the whole command-line thing and
just get a GUI? I imagine I'll still need to know about connecting and
stuff with a GUI.

[w_curtis]

Thanks all. Since we don't have too many records (maybe 500 a year), Access
has served us really well, even if it isn't a "real" database. I'm trying
out some GUI's for MySQL, and reading some more tutorials to see if I can
take it slow and get the hang of it.

Thanks again.
"w_curtis" <an**@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:u4*******************@newsread1.news.pas.eart hlink.net...

I'm an Access user, and I'm trying to learn MySQL and then PHP so I can make some web databases. But it just isn't clicking.

I've followed some tutorials, and picked up a book, but just getting to
square one has been a pain. I can follow the tutorials and get to the point where I can make tables and stuff, but I don't know how I got there, or what to do if something changes that makes it different than the tutorial.

MySQL doesn't seem to be like any other program I've used. Usually, I can install a program, and then there's a little icon on my desktop, I click on it, and there is the program.

But with MySQL, I install it, and it starts running as a service, but I
still can't see it. So I have to use a command prompt to talk to it. But
the commands to do this are anything but intuitive, and the tutorials I've
seen (from DevShed, the official site, and a few others) gloss over this
part like I'm already supposed to know how it works. Sometimes, I can get
it to work, and sometimes I can't. Users, passwords, ports, And this is
on my own computer. I don't even want to think of what this is like on a
network, or the internet. Or trying to get a program to talk to it
automatically.

Is there a good primer on the mechanics of how I'm supposed to actually
interface with this program? Can I skip the whole command-line thing and
just get a GUI? I imagine I'll still need to know about connecting and
stuff with a GUI.

[Kvag]

> Is there a good primer on the mechanics of how I'm supposed to actually

interface with this program? Can I skip the whole command-line thing and
just get a GUI? I imagine I'll still need to know about connecting and
stuff with a GUI.
You should try MySQLCC (MySQL Control Center) which is GUI
administration client for the MySQL database server. Download it from
http://www.mysql.com/downloads/mysqlcc.html . Since you have the
experience from Access, you will be able to do a kick-start. Actually
it resambles more to MS SQL Server's GUI, a combination of "Enterprise
Manager" and "SQL Query Analyser". It is still in developement, the
latest version must be 0.9.something. It is really nice!
I'm an Access user, and I'm trying to learn MySQL and then PHP so I can makesome web databases. But it just isn't clicking.

The web-base thing is another story. You have to use PHP to access the
MySQL database and tables. See the PHP manual :"Function
Reference"->"LXIII. MySQL Functions" to check out the PHP commands, to
make things work the way you want it. Download the manual from
http://www.php.net

[Kvag]

> Is there a good primer on the mechanics of how I'm supposed to actually

interface with this program? Can I skip the whole command-line thing and
just get a GUI? I imagine I'll still need to know about connecting and
stuff with a GUI.
You should try MySQLCC (MySQL Control Center) which is GUI
administration client for the MySQL database server. Download it from
http://www.mysql.com/downloads/mysqlcc.html . Since you have the
experience from Access, you will be able to do a kick-start. Actually
it resambles more to MS SQL Server's GUI, a combination of "Enterprise
Manager" and "SQL Query Analyser". It is still in developement, the
latest version must be 0.9.something. It is really nice!
I'm an Access user, and I'm trying to learn MySQL and then PHP so I can makesome web databases. But it just isn't clicking.

The web-base thing is another story. You have to use PHP to access the
MySQL database and tables. See the PHP manual :"Function
Reference"->"LXIII. MySQL Functions" to check out the PHP commands, to
make things work the way you want it. Download the manual from
http://www.php.net

[Kvag]

> Is there a good primer on the mechanics of how I'm supposed to actually

interface with this program? Can I skip the whole command-line thing and
just get a GUI? I imagine I'll still need to know about connecting and
stuff with a GUI.
You should try MySQLCC (MySQL Control Center) which is GUI
administration client for the MySQL database server. Download it from
http://www.mysql.com/downloads/mysqlcc.html . Since you have the
experience from Access, you will be able to do a kick-start. Actually
it resambles more to MS SQL Server's GUI, a combination of "Enterprise
Manager" and "SQL Query Analyser". It is still in developement, the
latest version must be 0.9.something. It is really nice!
I'm an Access user, and I'm trying to learn MySQL and then PHP so I can makesome web databases. But it just isn't clicking.

The web-base thing is another story. You have to use PHP to access the
MySQL database and tables. See the PHP manual :"Function
Reference"->"LXIII. MySQL Functions" to check out the PHP commands, to
make things work the way you want it. Download the manual from
http://www.php.net

[Trent]

"w_curtis" <an**@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:<u4*******************@newsread1.news.pas.ear thlink.net>...

I'm an Access user, and I'm trying to learn MySQL and then PHP so I can make
some web databases. But it just isn't clicking.

I've followed some tutorials, and picked up a book,

Out of curiosity, which book are you using? I'm a newbie to mySQL and
PHP, and am currently working with "PHP and MySQL Web Development" by
Welling and Thomson, and "Web Database Applications with PHP and
mySQL" by Williams and Lane. Amazon links:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...713549-7655935
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...713549-7655935

[Trent]

"w_curtis" <an**@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:<u4*******************@newsread1.news.pas.ear thlink.net>...

I'm an Access user, and I'm trying to learn MySQL and then PHP so I can make
some web databases. But it just isn't clicking.

I've followed some tutorials, and picked up a book,

Out of curiosity, which book are you using? I'm a newbie to mySQL and
PHP, and am currently working with "PHP and MySQL Web Development" by
Welling and Thomson, and "Web Database Applications with PHP and
mySQL" by Williams and Lane. Amazon links:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...713549-7655935
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...713549-7655935

[Trent]

"w_curtis" <an**@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:<u4*******************@newsread1.news.pas.ear thlink.net>...

I'm an Access user, and I'm trying to learn MySQL and then PHP so I can make
some web databases. But it just isn't clicking.

I've followed some tutorials, and picked up a book,

Out of curiosity, which book are you using? I'm a newbie to mySQL and
PHP, and am currently working with "PHP and MySQL Web Development" by
Welling and Thomson, and "Web Database Applications with PHP and
mySQL" by Williams and Lane. Amazon links:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...713549-7655935
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...713549-7655935

[Karam Chand]

You can try SQLyog at http://www.webyog.com/sqlyog

ib****@yahoo.gr (Kvag) wrote in message news:<97*************************@posting.google.c om>...

Is there a good primer on the mechanics of how I'm supposed to actually
interface with this program? Can I skip the whole command-line thing and
just get a GUI? I imagine I'll still need to know about connecting and
stuff with a GUI.

You should try MySQLCC (MySQL Control Center) which is GUI
administration client for the MySQL database server. Download it from
http://www.mysql.com/downloads/mysqlcc.html . Since you have the
experience from Access, you will be able to do a kick-start. Actually
it resambles more to MS SQL Server's GUI, a combination of "Enterprise
Manager" and "SQL Query Analyser". It is still in developement, the
latest version must be 0.9.something. It is really nice!

I'm an Access user, and I'm trying to learn MySQL and then PHP so I

can make

some web databases. But it just isn't clicking.

The web-base thing is another story. You have to use PHP to access the
MySQL database and tables. See the PHP manual :"Function
Reference"->"LXIII. MySQL Functions" to check out the PHP commands, to
make things work the way you want it. Download the manual from
http://www.php.net