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PHP and the art of SQL abstraction

Wednesday 28 July 2004, 21:16 WST —

I’m in charge, well, basically I am the computer/programming/database/webpage guy at work. So I tend to like bits and bobs that make my job a hell of alot easier. I found one such item with the PHP ADODB set. This nifty little bit of PHP scripting makes working with different types of SQL server a snap, in fact so damn easy it’s not funny.

Thanks to this little do hicky, if I want to migrate the Direct Communications database from Microsoft’s free desktop SQL server (which to be honest is quite brilliant, the only limit I can see from it is that it’s limited to 25 users and only has a command line interface) to MySQL all I have to do is change the little bits at the beginning. Brilliant!

It abstracts the under lying workings of the DB into something my scatty brain can understand. For instance:

$result = mysql_fetch_array( <some crap in here> )

Becomes:

g_Database->Execute( <sql HERE> )

And you browse the recordset in exactly the same way, no matter which database you’re using. And MS ASP junkies will feel right at home, as I believe that’s exactly how ASP does it?

62No Comments »http://luminousmonkey.org/?p=62PHP+and+the+art+of+SQL+abstraction2004-07-28+13%3A16%3A11Mike

The cow commands me!

Friday 09 July 2004, 19:26 WST —

I’ve been fiddling with Linux again (I know glutten for punishment). Usually I use Redhat, and for a learning experience I followed the Linux from Scratch instructions. I liked LFS, simply because I knew it was “clean” and I had installed it. Problem was that you still have to know what’s going on in the background.

Well know I’m giving Gentoo Linux a go. And so far, I like it. Using a nifty little utility called emerge you can automatically install the source code to lots of apps, utils, etc. Not only that, but you can set flags to tell it if you’re using Gnome, or whatever else you’ve got installed. It’ll automatically download, compile, and install the stuff for you.

Brilliant!

One thing I am surprised at however, is the lack of a GUI automatic interface for it (like Redhat has), you still have to be knowledgable about Linux to get it going. Also, it takes a very long time if you go the compile option. Adding new programs is as simple as:

emerge <program name>

For instance:

emerge xmms

Will download and install XMMS the Linux Winamp alike program. We’ll see how long this Linux distro lasts. Unfortunately there’s still nothing on Linux to touch the OSX interface.

60No Comments »http://luminousmonkey.org/?p=60The+cow+commands+me%212004-07-09+11%3A26%3A07Mike