Please help: need ideas on database adaptors

Hi All!

I develop a project that uses MySQL database as a data storage. I have
gotten a request from my manager to investigate the possibility to
create an adaptor that will utilize virtually any database instead of
mysql built-in. It will cover the case if customer wants to retain his
database as data storage but still use our software. I am thinking
about creating set of GUIs and APIs which will map tables, queries and
relations... It's quite challengeable. Is it possible? Did somebody
face this problem before?
Any ideas are highly appreciated!

Thank you.

vainb1@yahoo.com says...
> Hi All!
>
> I develop a project that uses MySQL database as a data storage. I have
> gotten a request from my manager to investigate the possibility to
> create an adaptor that will utilize virtually any database instead of
> mysql built-in. It will cover the case if customer wants to retain his
> database as data storage but still use our software. I am thinking
> about creating set of GUIs and APIs which will map tables, queries and
> relations... It's quite challengeable. Is it possible? Did somebody
> face this problem before?
> Any ideas are highly appreciated!

Look at the work done in the web/PHP environment done by AdoDB.

Geoff M

dev2 wrote:

> Hi All!
>
> I develop a project that uses MySQL database as a data storage. I have
> gotten a request from my manager to investigate the possibility to
> create an adaptor that will utilize virtually any database instead of
> mysql built-in. It will cover the case if customer wants to retain his
> database as data storage but still use our software. I am thinking
> about creating set of GUIs and APIs which will map tables, queries and
> relations... It's quite challengeable. Is it possible? Did somebody
> face this problem before?
> Any ideas are highly appreciated!
>
> Thank you.
>

In reality, you can only use the database engine for which the SQL was coded.

SQL != SQL != SQL (just like unix != unix != linux)

Oracle, DB2, SQL Server and MySQL (to list some of the more well known) all
implement different procedures and functions and unless you have an exhaustive
list and try to determine which db engine you are using - dynamically, I would
say this is a futile task.

--
Michael Austin.
Database Consultant

dev2 wrote:
> Hi All!
>
> I develop a project that uses MySQL database as a data storage. I have
> gotten a request from my manager to investigate the possibility to
> create an adaptor that will utilize virtually any database instead of
> mysql built-in. It will cover the case if customer wants to retain his
> database as data storage but still use our software. I am thinking
> about creating set of GUIs and APIs which will map tables, queries and
> relations... It's quite challengeable. Is it possible? Did somebody
> face this problem before?
> Any ideas are highly appreciated!
>
> Thank you.
>
If you are using only the basic CRUD functionality in the
database and using your own software for the more complex
processing you can achieve your goal by using a language that
already has a data base interface package that talks to several
RDBMS. If your customers will be using PCs to run your software
and access the database just use ODBC?

HTH
Jerry

Jerry Gitomer wrote:
> dev2 wrote:
> > Hi All!
> >
> > I develop a project that uses MySQL database as a data storage. I have
> > gotten a request from my manager to investigate the possibility to
> > create an adaptor that will utilize virtually any database instead of
> > mysql built-in. It will cover the case if customer wants to retain his
> > database as data storage but still use our software. I am thinking
> > about creating set of GUIs and APIs which will map tables, queries and
> > relations... It's quite challengeable. Is it possible? Did somebody
> > face this problem before?
> > Any ideas are highly appreciated!
> >
> > Thank you.
> >
> If you are using only the basic CRUD functionality in the
> database and using your own software for the more complex
> processing you can achieve your goal by using a language that
> already has a data base interface package that talks to several
> RDBMS. If your customers will be using PCs to run your software
> and access the database just use ODBC?
>
> HTH
> Jerry

While this is indeed true, I REALLY hate those because they tend to try
to retreive the entire database (select * from x) and then try to
process it locally for every call - extremely inefficient. The most
difficult piece of trying to do this is the hodge-podge of datatype
definitions (as we have recently seen). Even though they say there is
a standard, there really isn't a standard. Most databases/applictions
try to use the date functions and those are so different from engine to
engine, it is enough to make ones head spin.

M.

Jerry Gitomer wrote:
> dev2 wrote:
> > Hi All!
> >
> > I develop a project that uses MySQL database as a data storage. I have
> > gotten a request from my manager to investigate the possibility to
> > create an adaptor that will utilize virtually any database instead of
> > mysql built-in. It will cover the case if customer wants to retain his
> > database as data storage but still use our software. I am thinking
> > about creating set of GUIs and APIs which will map tables, queries and
> > relations... It's quite challengeable. Is it possible? Did somebody
> > face this problem before?
> > Any ideas are highly appreciated!
> >
> > Thank you.
> >
> If you are using only the basic CRUD functionality in the
> database and using your own software for the more complex
> processing you can achieve your goal by using a language that
> already has a data base interface package that talks to several
> RDBMS. If your customers will be using PCs to run your software
> and access the database just use ODBC?
>
> HTH
> Jerry

Thank you for all replies, I will keep it posted as the work progresses.