Re: Java / Informix Questions

There's a couple of things that you'll find here. First of all there are definitely limitations with what you can do with HTML versus an application written with VB or somesuch. It doesn't matter what is on the back end - PHP3 or Java Servlets, you're still dealing with HTML at the front end. You can get more sophistication on the front end with extensive use of Javascript, popping up windows, field edits so this is the first area you should look to. Given you wish to run on a intranet I'm assuming you have control of the browser and the version of it, this gives you more confidence that what Javascript you will use on the browser will work across all clients, if you wish to take the app to the Internet then you must be very careful about what is working on one version of browser may break on another. If your users still want more Windows like features then I'm not really joking when I say forget about the Intranet app and write a real Windows client server app in VB. It's the PHB's of the world who insist on Intranet applications and therefore double or triple the development effort to produce a low performing application that has few of the features most sensible people expect. If however it's a mandatory requirement (and it usually is) you have a great opportunity to learn all sorts of neat Internet skills and therefore improve your marketability later on. You could write a Java applet that handles all your form requirements and then sends the data off to a Java servlet run on the Apache box or even connects directly to the Informix DB (see the Informix web site for some info on this). Personally (and without knowing a great deal about the app) if deadlines and money is tight I'd go for the PHP3 backend and lots of Javascript on the front end. Chris Don Bryant <dsbryant@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message news:7uihjv$gst$1@bgtnsc01.worldnet.att.net... > All, > > I have been given the assignment of creating applications that will allow > users to access Informix databases from within a Web browser interface > running over an intranet. > > The users need to be able to query the database by entering query data > through a form and having the reply displayed to them in a form. The entry > should have field level help and the user should also be able to browse > through the database record by record sequentially after a successful query > is returned. > > Additionally I would like the user to attach to an intranet Apache server > operating on a Linux host and connect to a backend Informix server running > on a Sun Solaris Enterprise host. In other words the database does not live > on the same server as the Web server. > > I initially configured Apache 1.3.9 with PHP3 and have been successful in > performing a query as described above and displaying the result in an HTML > table. However I need to have a more MS Windows like form displayed to the > user that would allow a more sophisticated interface than an HTML based > table. It is my assumption that I cannot do this easily with PHP3, notice > the operative word assumption. > > Can I achieve what I have described using Java? I assume once again that I > can but would like to see a How To or at least some code examples so I can > get a jump start. I realize I'm asking a lot but one has to start somewhere. > > Is there any white papers on Informix.com or elsewhere that discusses > Web/Java development? BTW, we are using Informix DWS 7.3-UC5. > > Thanks In Advance, > > Don Bryant > > >