[Discussion] MySQL

[Douglas Clark]

Arthur,

Approach is a combination of a database and what are known as front end tools. Front end tools 
include the report writer, and the screen(s) for displaying and changing the data. The backend part, 
or database, stores the data. mySQL is the backend, the database part.

Front end tools, like report writers and spreadsheet like screens for working with the data, are either 
written to work with a specific backend (database), or they are written to access data from multiple 
backends (databases) using some standard for interfacing to the database. The most widely known 
interface is ODBC, but there are others.

If the database supports a standard interface, such as ODBC, then you can use any front end 
tools you want with the database. mySQL used to have an ODBC driver, although I don't remember 
if that driver was ported to OS/2 or what condition it is in.

The main user interface for Approach is designed to work either directly with the Approach 
database, or through ODBC with any database. This means you could, for example, use the 
Approach front end with mySQL, if mySQL had an ODBC driver. Smartsuite comes with an ODBC 
manager and a set of ODBC database drivers, although those drivers are setup to (normally) only 
work with the Approach front end. However Approach will also work with other ODBC drivers, e.g. 
the mySQL ODBC driver.

Hope that helps

Doug Clark



On Wed, 02 Jun 2010 16:58:54 -0700, Arthur Menu wrote:

>Hi everyone,
>
>I saw a reference to MySQL recently and I have read a bit about it on 
>Paul Smedley's web site, but I am not clear whether it can serve by 
>itself as a database application like Approach or whether I would need 
>another program to make it usable.
>
>I would appreciate some guidance on this.
>
>Thanks,
>Arthur
>
>-- 
>--
>Arthur Menu, Sidney, British Columbia, Canada

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Thanks

Douglas Clark