rapid development web interface to a database

[carloschoenberg]

I am looking for the easiest web interface to a database. By easiest,
I mean most rapid development. Because the requirements are so simple
and standard, I'm hoping that something can take care of the grunt
work. Easy maintenance, possibly by non-programmers (or at least
"junior" programmers) would also be nice.

I'm open to Perl, PHP, Java in that order (best solution wins, equal
solutions go with the preferred language). I'm also open to anything
that doesn't require code to be written to get the job done, as long
as there's some way to extend it if I get stuck.

The design is simple and is an age-old story:
I have a database with about 15 tables. 5 contain data with the same
primary key, 2 have their own primary key but still a 1-to-1 mapping
to the "main" primary key, and 8 are master lists that the other
tables reference (site id, customer id, that sort of thing). I need
the following screens:
simple search based on a couple fields
advanced search based on most available fields
search results simple display, showing a reasonable set of fields
search results advanced display, showing large or configurable set of
fields
simple display, showing most commonly desired fields
advanced display, showing all data
add new record simple, requesting most commonly entered fields
add new record advanced, allowing all fields to be manipulated
edit existing record simple
edit existing record advanced
editing for each of the 'master' tables

All edit/add screens need pulldowns for master lists allowing one to
be selected, search screens need pulldowns allowing multiple to be
selected. The user should not be burdened by the underlying layout of
thed tabase.

I want something to do most of the grunt work of:
all the CGI stuff, of course
authentication and maintaining the session
building the forms. ugly is ok as long as it's usable. optional
templating would be nice.
working with the database

After everything is done modifying the interface to accomidate a new
table or new column in an existing table should be trivial.

I appreciate any advice about the most efficient way to develop such
systems.

 

[Eljon Greene]

One of the most popular in the open source community for MySQL databases is
PHPMyAdmin (http://www.phpmyadmin.net/home_page/).

.........................................................
Eljon Greene
formGenie - E-Documents Simplified
E-mail: (e-mail address removed)
Website: www.form-genie.com
......................................................

 

[Sudsy]

I am looking for the easiest web interface to a database. By easiest,
I mean most rapid development. Because the requirements are so simple
and standard, I'm hoping that something can take care of the grunt
work. Easy maintenance, possibly by non-programmers (or at least
"junior" programmers) would also be nice.

You could always use the JSTL SQL package. I wouldn't, but then I'm
probably paranoid about what junior programmers could do with SQL
queries/updates... >

 

[Gregory Toomey]

I am looking for the easiest web interface to a database. By easiest,
I mean most rapid development. Because the requirements are so simple
and standard, I'm hoping that something can take care of the grunt
work. Easy maintenance, possibly by non-programmers (or at least
"junior" programmers) would also be nice.

I'm open to Perl, PHP, Java in that order (best solution wins, equal
solutions go with the preferred language). I'm also open to anything
that doesn't require code to be written to get the job done, as long
as there's some way to extend it if I get stuck.

The design is simple and is an age-old story:
I have a database with about 15 tables. 5 contain data with the same
primary key, 2 have their own primary key but still a 1-to-1 mapping
to the "main" primary key, and 8 are master lists that the other
tables reference (site id, customer id, that sort of thing). I need
the following screens:
simple search based on a couple fields
advanced search based on most available fields
search results simple display, showing a reasonable set of fields
search results advanced display, showing large or configurable set of
fields
simple display, showing most commonly desired fields
advanced display, showing all data
add new record simple, requesting most commonly entered fields
add new record advanced, allowing all fields to be manipulated
edit existing record simple
edit existing record advanced
editing for each of the 'master' tables

Oracle have tools to do all that but it costs a fortune.

gtoomey

 

[Joe Smith]

I am looking for the easiest web interface to a database. By easiest,
I mean most rapid development. Because the requirements are so simple
and standard, I'm hoping that something can take care of the grunt
work. Easy maintenance, possibly by non-programmers (or at least
"junior" programmers) would also be nice.

Sounds like a job for the SiteWand building blocks that Instantis uses.
http://www.instantis.com/technology/technology_home.html

They have 30-day free evaluation accounts.
-Joe

 

[Tony Marston]

Take a look at http://www.tonymarston.net/php-mysql/sample-application.html
for rapid application development for the web using PHP.

 

[David Segall]

Oracle have tools to do all that but it costs a fortune.

JDeveloper costs $1000.00 which is substantially less than similar
tools from IBM or Borland. You can use it with any database that has a
JDBC interface so you do not need to buy an Oracle database.
Furthermore, their trial version is not time limited so, if you are a
cash-strapped, independent developer you can postpone paying for it
until your first application is deployed.