Testing Perl scripts offline

Junior WebHelper Joined: 13 Jul 2002 Posts: 4

Regarding the "Testing Perl scripts offline" tutorial. I would like to have my dynamic searchable database working on a CD. Can that be done? And if, what should I use or change?
Any help and advice is welcome.
Corine, from France.

Team Member Joined: 06 Jan 2002 Posts: 2564

Why would you want to use Perl if it's not going to be run on the web? (and probably on Windows)

Posted: Sat Jul 13, 2002 9:56 am (21 years, 9 months ago)

I will suggest you go for java or visual basic for this purpose

ok so you still want to work with perl? fine use Perl Development Kit (PDK) available from www.activestate.com to convert your perl script into an executable file.

Junior WebHelper Joined: 13 Jul 2002 Posts: 4

Thank you very much. I will try that. I have the database online too, so I didn't want to change too much my scripts, and I don't know how that can work in another way Embarassed

. I'm learning each day...

Posted: Sat Jul 13, 2002 4:34 pm (21 years, 9 months ago)

hi,

you could install it onto a cd, but whenever a program tries to write to it, it will error message - i don't know what messages apache will give when it tries to write to errors.log and access.log, so try it out by making them read-only and running Apache.

You have to make sure your database is only doing reading functions, so it won't be able to be modified at all once it's on cd.

Probably better, like the others say, to use another language - vb is not too hard to learn if you know perl.

All in all, test if Apache will run happily if you read-only some files in it's directory, and if it does, it is possible to get it working:

=user pops cd into drive
=autorun.inf -> apache.exe -k console bla (i forget the syntax) + iexplore.exe 127.0.0.1

It's a nice idea, but a bit clunky for a database on cd...

Amadeus

Junior WebHelper Joined: 30 Oct 2002 Posts: 5

Corine wrote:

Regarding the "Testing Perl scripts offline" tutorial. I would like to have my dynamic searchable database working on a CD. Can that be done? And if, what should I use or change?

I wanted to do this Corinne. The solution I found after much searching, was a DB program called GSBase. (I tested about 15 other freeware/ shareware DBs!!!)
I can 1) set up a database on GSbase with the same fields and categories/ options as my online database; 2) download my datafile from my site (it's a delimited txt file) and 3) use this as the datafile for the GSBase database.
All my data appears fine.

GSBase does cost $19 but hey it's a nice prog, easy interface to use and set up. Useful for other DBs too; I use it to catalogue my software, and for a bibliography for my academic work.

I haven't yet tested it in reverse: loading more data offline in GSBase then uploading the increased datafile. In principle it should be OK. But I'll make a backup version of the datafile just in case. When I have minute.
You can then use the shareware GSBase version to distribute your database on CD (I checked with the GSbase designer this is OK), as you only need the paid version once to create your DB. Put your latest datafile on the CD with it.
Your users can read, search, even add records of their own (the last obviously if they copy the whole thing to their own hard drive).
I even edited the Help file so my users can find what to do with all the right titles for my database.

Junior WebHelper Joined: 13 Jul 2002 Posts: 4

Thanks a lot Very Happy

Where can I find GSbase?

Posted: Wed Oct 30, 2002 12:45 pm (21 years, 5 months ago)

Hello,

I did some more thinking about this, but never followed it up; there are a few other solutions:

1.) Using ODBC with Visual Basic which is pretty much on every Microsoft computer
2.) Using Visual Basic, C, C++ or whichever language you like and installing a sql package from the cd
3.) Using Shockwave for a very visually pleasing program, and using it's text database tools (you can download/pay for additional ones)

I prefer mysql to perl flat files - due to speed, resources and ease of use.

The other thing with shockwave was that you have the ability to download new versions (auto-update) when they arise.

What exactly are you trying to program?

Good luck,

Junior WebHelper Joined: 13 Jul 2002 Posts: 4

I'm not sure if I will understand how to do that. I'll have to see all that nearer.
I have a searchable dog pedigree database online I would like on a CD for some interested people. We have so often problems with the CGI servers.
Here is the page, so you may have a look: http://galileo.spaceports.com/%7Eazawakh/
Thanks

Posted: Wed Oct 30, 2002 2:21 pm (21 years, 5 months ago)

Vous êtes française?

First off, I know it's a nitpicky thing to say, but I'd recommend moving hosts where you don't get banner ads and prompts to set your homepage to www.searchwww.com!!

I wrote a review for my current host on epinions - here - I really would recommend them, and maybe a switch to mysql...

Anyways, so you need a cd database? Look at jayant's reply about the perl to executable thing - this might be the easiest solution for your current db.

If not, you could always buy this GBbase or whatever software, but I'm sure there is a non-commercial (ie. free) way of doing this.

It all boils down to how much time you're willing to spend on this project - and what other languages you know...

Good luck and let me know if you find a solution. I was going to do a similar thing with:

http://the.magicvideodepot.com

Which is a database driven website - as people wanted cd versions; I realised it would take a lot of time so I've put it on the backburner for now.

Good Luck!

Amadeus