Need a relational database
Friday January 17, 2003 – 8:51 pmI’ve been using AppleWorks to catalog my videotapes and DVDs. I made a really detailed database and some nice layouts to go with it; I even had an image field for the covers and screenshots. I catalogued about 85 tapes full of stuff, and then suddenly the database got corrupted or something, so it keeps crashing on me! There were about 500 records in the db, and there’s a certain record in there that can’t be viewed, it causes a crash every time. I’ve tried everything, the only apparent option is to rebuild the database without using the pictures, I guess. I can only assume it’s the pictures that are choking it up. Ugh.
I really want to find a good relational database to use instead of AppleWorks. I need one that’ll let me link separate databases to each other… i.e. to pull from a db of actors or directors, or names of movies and TV shows etc. That way it would be a lot more efficient; I wouldn’t have to repeat so much info from record to record.
The only database I have that works that way is HanDbase, which is only for the PalmPilot, which I don’t use anymore. I had exported all my HanDbase data into CSV text files, but I have nowhere to import them without losing the relational aspect… they’re all connected to each other, see.
Now that Apple’s come out with X11 so we can more easily run Unix programs, maybe there’s something out there that I can use. I don’t know jack about databases, so if anybody knows a good one that might work on OS X (natively or via X11), please let me know!
January 17th, 2003 at 10:59 pm
Are you embedding your pictures directly into your db or are you merely referencing them?
M
January 17th, 2003 at 11:43 pm
I’m embedding them because AppleWorks doesn’t let you use links to files. You have to embed them in a field you set as ‘multimedia’.
I would love to get a REAL database like FileMaker or whatever but I can’t afford it, so I’m looking for an open-source solution. Well, I’m not really looking, just complaining, but I will be looking soon.
January 18th, 2003 at 10:47 am
The problem with the UNIX-descended open source databases for OS X is that they’re not the most user-friendly things in the world. MySQL is probably the most widely-used. But if you’re used to something like AppleWorks or FileMaker, you’ll be surprised at how tough it can be to use; in its native form, it’s a command-line oriented beast. You’ll need to invest in a book or two. Still, if you want to give it a try, the price is right; you can find a Mac OS X-compatible version on Marc Liyange’s web site at http://www.entropy.ch/software/macosx/ at least until MySQL takes over the distribution of the OS X version from him in a few weeks.
There are a few friendly front ends for MySQL that might make using it more palatable. I haven’t tried any of them myself, since I’ve got lots of UNIX experience, but the ones I’ve looked at tend to be commercial or shareware products. phpMyAdmin at http://www.phpmyadmin.net/ is a web-based tool for interacting with MySQL, so that should work if you’re so inclined.
January 18th, 2003 at 7:43 pm
Movable Type is using MySQL for this blog, but the setup is all automated, I don’t know how to use it myself. I’m not afraid of the command line but if I have to learn a new program I’d sure rather use a pretty GUI. I’m trying out FileMaker Pro right now, it seems good. I hope it’s more stable than AppleWorks at least. All I need is a simple program that uses related files… HanDbase was perfect for that, but I haven’t found anything similar for OS X.
January 21st, 2003 at 5:45 pm
Hi,
Databases and all that….this is going to sound really stupid but i’ve recently been getting use to mySQL and i need some help….How do you upload a database? do you have to make it into a .dump file? or anything like that? does it have to go in any certain directorys on the server?…
please help me! its driving me crazy, sorry if the answers really obvious!
wow, this is the last place i’d think of to get this answer….
Thank yoooou!
Stuart
January 21st, 2003 at 6:24 pm
Hopefully one of my resident genii will help you because I don’t know. On my ISP (ICDSoft) you can back up your MySQL db’s via phpMyAdmin, which is reachable from the account’s control panel. But I don’t know what else you can do with it; haven’t seen any button for uploading, only downloading. I also don’t know where the file is actually stored on my ISP. It’s not mixed in with my web files, so I assume it must be hidden back there in my home directory somewhere.
Good luck man… try searching Google Groups, or maybe contact your ISP tech support if you can’t get an answer here.