[eyedb-devel] Re: EyeDB from under Windows and a Web page

[<mic...@wp...>]

Hello Francois!


You have written:


>  Hello,
>  
>  mic...@wp... a ecrit :
>  
 >> Hello EyeDB crew!
 >> 
 >> I am going to develop some software in Broland C++ Builder environment
 >> and I'm considering to base it on an object-oriented database.
 >> Please, be understanding, for I haven't got any experience neither
 >> with OODBMSs nor with programming under unix.
 >> 
 >> I've downloaded Your ODB and installed it on linux. After few days of
 >> exporing it I have to say : I am really amazed what can it do in
 >> comparison to RDBMSs according to developing an client-server
 >> application! Therefore I'm pushing to be able to put it into my
 >> project.
>  
>  Good to hear!
>  
 >> However, getting deeper into EyeDB, I'm starting to worry whether I
 >> will be able to access it directly (or indirectly, if necessary) from
 >> Windows - to compile EyeDB headers (I can imagine, that this might be
 >> impossible).
 >> Is there a possibility to use schema created for an EyeDB database
 >> (which is placed on Linux) from a Windows platform?
>  
>  Good question...
>  
>  If I re-word the question, is it possible to develop an EyeDB client 
>  running on Windows?
>  
>  Yes, but...
>  
>  Right now, it is feasible, if you use Cygwin, to compile EyeDB on 
>  Windows and use the EyeDB library to link with your client. But it is
>  not possible to build only the client part of EyeDB using C++ builder,
>  because the client part and the server part are mixed.
>  
>  The reason for that is that EyeDB supports a "local" mode where you can
>  link the server inside the client, avoiding the cost of the 
>  communication between the client and the server using the TCP socket.
>  This local mode brings a huge performance gain, usefull for instance for
>  big data imports.



       Well, so You say that there is a way. Actually, I haven't got any
   experience with Cygwin - to compile EyeDB with it do I need to have
   installed Linux and Windows on the same hardware, or can I just
   copy EyeDB files directly to Windows and then compile them (if so,
   which catalogs are neccessary?).
       Another question arises: if I would finally do it this way,
   could I use schema created by EyeDB in Borland exactly the same way
   as it is done by programming under Linux? In other words - once
   when having this EyeDB library under Windows - does programming of
   the application get any more sophisticated?
   ( I apologize for such questions (maybe trivial for someone),
   however it is really a strategic matter to me and before I take any
   decisions I must be sure I won't get stuck later, when it might be
   too late for such fundamental changes as the choice of a DB )


   
>  However, the current state of the code does mix the client part and the
>  server part without possibility to compile only the client, with for 
>  instance a #ifdef HAVE_EYEDB_LOCAL_MODE that you could set in the global
>  configuration header eyedbconfig.h.
>  
>  This is a development issue that we are aware of, but we have no 
>  estimation when this will be solved.
>  
>  Of course, if there is a way to get fundings for this development, the
>  timeline may change.
>  
 >> And another question: how can I access eyedb database from a website level?
 >> Are OQL statements only accessible from programming languages, which
 >> the're mapped to (so then I will have to use a Java applet) or is there
 >> another way to get to EyeDB from, let's say, an ASP or PHP code?
>  
>  Another good question...
>  
>  Right now, there is only a C++ and a Java binding. You can develop 
>  server side code using Java and servlets for instance.
>  
>  But there is no PHP binding, and that is something that is planned for
>  after the 2.7.7 release.
>  
>  If you dig into the sources, you can find the src/www/ directory that
>  contains an exemple of a web interface for EyeDB, using cgi.


   In fact, I am asking while looking a little bit ahead in the future
   - for now I just need to develop the application side, the Web-side
   topic will arise probably in some 5-6 months time. However, now is
   the time for planning, and we need also to consider the choice of
   technology to solve web stuff in the future (probably, we'd like to
   write it in PHP).



 >> And the third thing: I've just read the conversation about unicode
 >> problem, but the last mail is from january. Have You already added
 >> support for unicode, or if not - when are You planning to do so?
>  
>  We have not added support for unicode, we are planning to do so, but I
>  cannot tell you more about the timeline.
>


   Then my question is ( I know, that this issue has been discused
   already, however there hasn't been given any direct answer) - If I
   started writing code using normal 'char' and char[] types, could I
   simply, after the release of support for unicode in EyeDB, replace
   it in my code with, let's say ucchar and ucchar[] types, without any
   consequences?
   

 >> If, in Your opinion, there is no way to 'attach' EyeDB to Windows, can
 >> You recommend me any other open-source (or low-priced commercial)
 >> OODBMS which supports Win and C++?
>  
>  There are not so many open source OODBMS. The only that I know are: 
>  db4o, ZODB (the Zope OODBMS), GOODS (but I am not sure whether the 
>  project is still alive). That's why EyeDB has a place under the sun, and
>  a nice place I hope.
>

   As far as I am concerned, GOODS project is already dead. I also
   have found ODABA at http://run-software.com/products/odaba/, but
   the site is very poor and it looks dead as well to me. And db4o is
   mainly Java and C#.

 >> I will be very appreciated for any help.
>  
>  You're welcome.
>

   Thank You for Your support.
   Michael

>  Francois Dechelle