Re: Generic SQL c++ class for client/server

In Article<4dv12a$nv2@everest.iserv.net>, <gertw@iserv.net> writes: > Path: news-s01.ny.us.ibm.net!news-m01.ny.us.ibm.net!newsjunkie.ans.net!howland.reston.ans.net!newsfeed.internetmci.com!in1.uu.net!everest.iserv.net!usenet > From: gertw@iserv.net (Gert Wallis) > Newsgroups: comp.databases,comp.databases.informix > Subject: Generic SQL c++ class for client/server > Date: Mon, 22 Jan 1996 01:18:26 GMT > Organization: Iserv.net, Grand Rapids, MI, USA > Lines: 132 > Message-ID: <4dv12a$nv2@everest.iserv.net> > NNTP-Posting-Host: dialup3.iserv.net > X-Newsreader: Forte Free Agent 1.0.82 > Xref: news-s01.ny.us.ibm.net comp.databases:18527 comp.databases.informix:17581 > > Hi Everybody > > A. I have developed a SQL client/server protocol for our own > particular application which I would like to expand and this is just > to throw an idea out here to see if it has any merits. I am going to > do it anyway and if I can get more people hooked to the idea maybe we > can pool our resources and accelerate my/our development. What I am > doing is something like OBDC but at a more abstract level. > > B. In windows I have defined a class that works as follow > > OpenDatabase("xyz"); > SQLStatement Query("SELECT name,surname FROM users_def "); > if (Query.GetStatus() == 0) > { > char UserName[]; > char SurName[]; > while ( Query.Fetch() == 0 ) > { > strcpy (UserName, Query[0]->data); > strcpy (SurName, Query[1]->data); > } > } > CloseDatabase(); > > C. I can also get the datatype and size for each element. It also > supports "other" types of sql statements like insert update delete > etc. > > Using Winsock, I translate each each class member into string transmit > the string to a server and wait for a reply. When the reply comes back > it updates the data values in the client and you can access the > results. > > D. Once you have implemented the class on a particular > platform/database combination it may be used as > > 1. A class on the standalone machine for local applications. > 2. Combine the class with socket 's to create a server to make the > data accessable to client programs. > > E. Environments that I have used the model in. > SERVER > Informix SE on AIX. > Windows 3.1 using Informix 4.10 > > CLIENTS > 16 bit Windows using winsock (Runs under 3.1, 95 and NT) > Linex using normal sockets. > > We have had acceptable response times dialing in through an Internet > Service provider in Grand Rapids Michigan talking via the Internet to > one of our clients's IBM AIX sitting in Huntsville,Al. > > F. ADVANTAGES for such an implementation. > 1. Abstraction above the database level makes my code portable to any > platform. This is a general advantage not necessary Client Server. I > can switch database vendors much more easily. > 2. In windows I have placed all these functions in a DLL. By replacing > the DLL I can change my product betweeen > * Standalone > * Client/ Server > * Any database I choose > 3. I don't have to recompile my application code to do the things in 2 > 4. The code is true client/server - I just have to change the IP > address to whom I am connecting to and I talk to the machine. I don't > know what OS is on that machine is and I don't know the type of > database I am connecting to. > 5. I can give my clients the oppertunity to choose their own database > system that falls within their budget and price range. > 6. If such a project gets enough support I don't have to buy a > development environment for every database package on the market and I > can't be held hostage by a particular database vendor's inability to > produce the goods. > > G. DISADVANTAGES > 1. I work on my own and I don't have the time to port it to all > operating platforms/ databases. My budget are limited and I dont have > the resources to buy all the nice stuff available from vendors. > 2. I am (currently) not using the asynchronous winsock implementation. > It means the system waits until the server transmits an answer back. > The response times are still more than acceptable. > 3. I try and keep my database queries in my code simple so it will > work with all database implementations. I don't know to what level one > can push such a mechanism. > 4. I am probably duplicating the stuff in OBDC but I talk to the > database directly without any overhead - there are no overhead. I > don't think you can make it much faster. (I dont know much about ODBC > anyhow) > 5. The model is very simple but that could be an advantage as well. > 6. I work in c c++ and not all the people in the world are real > programmers. > > H. My code are not really ready for scrutiny by outside parties (I'm > the boss that checks comments) but if there are other people > interested in cooperating in such a project I can work on it. (The > client/server string encapsulation is Informix specific but that can > be easily changed.) I am so confused by all the vendor claims, > different names, models and products that making a decision on a > database and interfacing it with my code are extremely complicated. > > The questions that needs to be answered are the following > a. Am I barking up the wrong tree and reinventing the wheel. > b. Are there ather developers that would be interested in cooperating > and expanding the model. > c. Should one draw up a formal spec for it and RFC it. > d. What are the functionality that one should put in it to make it > transportable to most databases. (Keeping it simple and not trying to > bloat it with features somthing like SMTP) > d. I am hoping that one could put something like this in the public > domain. > > Any comments are welcome - Remember my first priority is to get my > product out of the door and this would be a "Nice to have". I am also > doing this to try and accelerate my own development for my customers > sake. There has gone a lot of my resources into this and I havent made > my first million yet - still just barely making a living so I'm not > inclined to give anything away for free - yet. > > Note: My socket's stuff follows the same type of guidelines so I could > probably draw up another thing like this just for the socket > communication but my socket programming is not as hot is I would like > to have it - If I only had time (and money) !!!! > > Gert Wallis (gertw@iserv.net) > Snr Software Engineer > Corporate Information Systems. > > Gert Wallis,CIS, > email:gertw@iserv.net, > tel: USA (616) 281-3337 > Gert, I could help if you are willing to help me understand the concept you are using to do your backend processes. I can help transfer your sync winsock into async. I also have access to Informix but I use the Online engine opposed to the standard. I can also link to DB2 and several other database types. Matt Frame mdframe@shelby.rmc.com