Best free database to use with PB to create shareware?

Noble Bell · Post by **Noble Bell** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 8:41 pm

Hello again,

So, what would you say is the best and FREE database to use with PB? I have at my disposal: Tsunami and Cheetah. Is there something easier and better to use for shareware development?

Thanks in advance,

Thorsten1867 · Post by **Thorsten1867** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 8:57 pm

I use SQLite3 (PBOSL) in my programs.

srod · Post by **srod** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 8:58 pm

SQLite rules!

Flype · Post by **Flype** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 8:59 pm

It depends of what you need. Local or Distant database ?
you seems to speak about local ones, so there's also SQLite3 which is quite very good. Never tested Cheetah nor Tsunami but there are includes on the forum for them.

[EDIT]
3 votes for SQLite in 2 small minutes.

SQLite win !

Noble Bell · Post by **Noble Bell** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 9:10 pm

Yes, it is looking that way to me. I might have to explore it a little more.

rsts · Post by **rsts** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 9:21 pm

I'm a relative newbie to sqlite and selected it because of the overall level of support both here (primarily) and external.

Can't really speak for the others although I have heard some nice things about them all, sqlite seems to be the most popular (and supported) by the PB community.

That said, if you wander into 'blob" territory, the support level might drop a bit

cheers

Noble Bell · Post by **Noble Bell** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 9:26 pm

I am sure someone out there can point me to some excellent PB code that allows access to the SQLITE3 dll's, right?

netmaestro · Post by **netmaestro** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 9:27 pm

I vote for SQLite3. It's fairly full-featured and if you use the PBOSL SQLite3 library, it's really got a short steep learning curve.

rsts · Post by **rsts** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 9:31 pm

Noble Bell wrote:I am sure someone out there can point me to some excellent PB code that allows access to the SQLITE3 dll's, right?

search for some of the offerings by fangbeast

cheers

Dare · Post by **Dare** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 1:23 pm

Recycling a topic rather than creating a new one (but changing tack a little).

How do you guys handle table maintenance in sqlite, specifically dropping a column from a table (which the docs appear to say sqlite does not support)?

Do you export everything except the unwanted column/field, then delete the table, create a new one and import? Or is there some simpler way?

Also, do you know if anyone has created a static lib for sqlite?

Thanks!

srod · Post by **srod** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 1:33 pm

I took a tip from Thorsten1867 (I think?

) in which he suggested that instead of battling SQLite's inability to natively drop a column, create a second table used to hold those columns for the first table which may be deleted at some point.

E.g.

MainTable <ID> <fixed col 1> <fixed col 2> ... etc.

SecondTable <ID> <column name> <column data>

The tables are linked by the ID fields.

This way, deleting a column simply involves deleting all records in the second table for which the <column name> field matches a given column name etc.

It works very well for me and avoids the hassle of creating temporary tables etc.

Paul · Post by **Paul** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 2:24 pm

MS Access engine as it comes with Windows. ODBC drivers are already to go and it's lightning fast. No extra baggage needed to package with your application.

Gets my vote every time.

Dare · Post by **Dare** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 2:49 pm

Hi srod,

Thanks! I'll see if I can find the post covering that.

dracflamloc · Post by **dracflamloc** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 2:54 pm

Access is pretty awful and has its own quirks and limitations. Also requires the ODBC use, which can cause issues if your users have different ODBC driver versions or different OSes that don't have the same MDAC installed.

srod · Post by **srod** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 2:59 pm

Dare wrote:Hi srod,

Thanks! I'll see if I can find the post covering that.

Look all you like, but it was an exchange of e-mails!