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greekgirl831 · Feb 21, 2006, 12:36 PM

I'll try to explain this the best I can. I'm trying to make a website with a database. It needs to be fully searchable, updatable through the web by administrators and by clients. Simple enough.

My problem is that I've been using a Mac for about 6 months and I am infamiliar with the software you can use for it.

My original plan was to use Dreamweaver + Microsoft Access to make my database. Alas, I have discovered Access does not exist for Mac. Access is also the one dabasing program I was a teeny bit familiar with. So... my question is what should I use in place of it? I checked out Filemaker but I don't know if it will do what I need. If that works do I need Filemaker Pro 8 OR Filemaker Adavanced???

Should I use mySQL?

If anyone has any suggestions I'd appreciate it! Thanks

genevish · Feb 21, 2006, 12:44 PM

If you are comletely unfamiliar with databases, Filemaker may be a good solution for you. It gives a nice friendly interface and should be able to create the web pages fairly automatically. I'm not familiar with the various flavors that are available these days (I haven't used it for many years).

One key question: Does the web host you're using support FileMaker?

greekgirl831 · Feb 21, 2006, 12:58 PM

haha, a good point you make! No... it doesn't support filmaker. It does allow mySQL though.

zwiebel_ · Feb 21, 2006, 01:02 PM

Originally Posted by greekgirl831

haha, a good point you make! No... it doesn't support filmaker. It does allow mySQL though.

I replied to your post under Applications. ^

moodymonster · Feb 21, 2006, 02:04 PM

you'd most likely be looking at a MySQL/PHP combination. Both require programming knowledge. Also be a good idea to get some knowledge about database architecture. Best to get it right at the start than mess about later.

Depending on what you're doing it may also be worth looking at a CMS (content managment system) that is pre-made and you just tailor it to your needs.

mania · Feb 22, 2006, 01:42 AM

i second php/mysql combo. mysql installs on your mac pretty easily and php and apache are already installed. so then you have a devel platform that is a server and should more or less match most any ISPs linux web server. its also much more scaleable than access/filemaker which are more like single user databases (kinda like a glorified excel).

SirCastor · Feb 22, 2006, 02:13 PM

you can use PHPMyAdmin for database managment if you need something easy. I picked up MySQL in a couple of days of scattered fooling around.

PHP and MySQL are not difficult to learn, the setup you want to accomplish would not be difficult either, just a little time-consuming. So I third the recommendation.

mduell · Feb 22, 2006, 02:39 PM

MySQL has too many gotchas... try PostgreSQL.

greekgirl831 · Feb 22, 2006, 05:36 PM

Originally Posted by SirCastor

you can use PHPMyAdmin for database managment if you need something easy. I picked up MySQL in a couple of days of scattered fooling around.

PHP and MySQL are not difficult to learn, the setup you want to accomplish would not be difficult either, just a little time-consuming. So I third the recommendation.

Yeah, I think that is what I'm going to go with. I have a coding background in C++ and a bit of Java/JavaScript... so it probably won't be too difficult for me to pick up on MySQL and PHP. Thanks for your help!

genevish · Feb 22, 2006, 11:29 PM

Originally Posted by mduell

MySQL has too many gotchas... try PostgreSQL.

What "gotchas" are you referring to?

mduell · Feb 22, 2006, 11:32 PM

Originally Posted by genevish

What "gotchas" are you referring to?

These.