Forum Moderators: mack
I have been running our company web site for several years now. I am comfortable with HTML and reasonably so with CSS. But now our company is having its procedures integrated through database - holding stuff like part numbers, stock, costs, and so forth. From this can be produced facts like possible assemblies, there sizes, and prices.
It would be very handy to show our customers some of that information on screen. It seems sensible to have automatic updating from our company database to the web, so that the information is always up to date.
I have played around with guest books and forms - modifying standard scripts, in Perl and php. I have some distant, limited, experience in programming in ALGOL and BASIC. I have used Excel for data extraction, and have some limited use of Access, but that its with databases - though I think I understand the core principles.
Most of the information I require is on the internal (ie not the domain) server in Excel format - which is then taken up by the data base.
I had decided the way to go was to use php and MySQL (importing the data from Excel). However, I consulted the outside contractor who is putting our server database together. His comment was that the database itself is a Microsoft SQL Server back end, and an Access front end. It had Excel data in. support files for various bits and pieces. He thought that for my web development, he favoured SQL Server and ASP over PHP and MySQL.
I'd be grateful for your comments. I think all the data I need is in the Excel support files. Going the Microsoft route seems an expensive solution to me, for what I want to do. But I could be confused with someone who really knows what he is doing.
In terms of scripting and stuff, precious little difference between the two platforms.
In terms of using excel sheets as your database, that seems odd. FIrst, I think you're going to have to write a conversion program no matter what platform you're using, I don't think either platform will use an excel sheet as raw data directly. So you'd be better using the raw access database. And if you're using an access databse, then an MS box is the way to go. (and if you don't use the access database now, bet you'll want to eventually - at which point you don't want to be sitting on an php/mysql platform).
The additional cost of MS hosting is likely to be small.
I see logic of having commonality. Thanks once again - it's been a help to chew this over.
