Best DB/Scripting choice for NT server?

They have: 220 posts

Joined: May 1999

Hello all,

I am creating a new site based on Adstream programs and expect it will eventually have a pretty good number of users. The pages would use scripts to handle referral information and display their account ID's, pulled from their record. In addition, when a new program was added to the system, and visitors came in with no referral ID, then a percentage of the visitors would get automagically sent to a random users account info.

So... my first incling was to go with ASP and Access 2000 but after I read a recent post here, I am rethinking that decision. Is PHP and mySQL a better choice on an NT server?

Your thoughts on this matter would be GREATLY appreciated. I am going out to sea for 8 days tomorrow so I will check out what people said when I get back.

Thanks everyone,

Matt

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They have: 89 posts

Joined: Sep 1999

Voltec

I am not 100% sure, but I thought PHP was UNIX only. Of course, someone may have created PHP software for NT, or I could be totally wrong.

They have: 103 posts

Joined: Apr 1999

There are completely functional versions of PHP for windows. Check on PHP.net. A while back, I was presented with the same problem, Voltec. I went with choice #1 (Access and ASP) simply because I had some new ASP software I wanted to try out (Mardomedia Drumbeat). Not to say that Drumbeat is horribly bad, but I think that I made a mistake. Since I already know PHP, it would've been faster for me to code it in PHP instead of the 'ASP WYSIWYG'. If the project wasn't almost over, I would redo it in PHP. If you're admining the web server, you'll have to compile PHP and maybe MySQL to install it on your machine. Just a few considerations.

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Gil Hildebrand, Jr.
Senior Web Developer, 4atcost.com

Gil Hildebrand, Jr.
Internet Consultant
New Orleans, LA

Peter J. Boettcher's picture

They have: 812 posts

Joined: Feb 2000

Voltec,

If you're running on a Windows NT server then the best way to go is ASP for sure, but I would try to go with a dedicated DB solution like SQL 7. When your using ASP, it's really easy to integrate SQL 7 queries into your page.

Make your connection (ADO,RDO, etc), execute your query, and do whatever you want with the results. Really simple.

Plus when you use an ADO recordset it's easy to move anywhere in the recordset using recordset.movelast, recordset.movefirst, etc.

Have fun at sea!

Regards,
Peter J. Boettcher

[This message has been edited by Peter J. Boettcher (edited 12 April 2000).]

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They have: 220 posts

Joined: May 1999

Peter,

How difficult would it be for me to go from Access to SQL 7 if I begin with Access 2000? I have the site setup now with Access 2000 but can upgrade later to include SQL.

Matt

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Peter J. Boettcher's picture

They have: 812 posts

Joined: Feb 2000

Voltec,

If you're currently connecting to Access via a DSN then the upgrade is very simple. All you would need to do is import your Access database into SQL 7 (easily done through a wizard), and make sure your DSN points to SQL and all your pages should work no different then before (just faster!).

If you were connecting to Access physically (the .mdb file is sitting on your web site) then you will have to change your connection coding to use a DSN connection.

Regards,
Peter J. Boettcher

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