Desktop Application using MySql DB

louie

I want to create a desktop application that will connect to mysql db remotely.
What programs should I be looking into?

Webmonkey

Do you mean - what programming language should you do it in?

Well if you want to maintain the DB remotely you can use MySQL control Center.

http://sourceforge.net/projects/mysqlcc/

It is fairly easy to work with MySQL with Java and GUI is quite simple in Java but that is if you already have good programming experience, OOP preferably. Netbeans is also great free software to develop your java apps in.

ianhobo

Almost any language can connect remotely to a database

Typically, a remote database will be running a database server to which you connect to using a socket.
It's actually no different really to connecting to an sql db running locally

What do you mean

What programs should I be looking into?

louie

I am handy at web development but I am looking into desktop application like Visual Basic or something, so I can create an .exe program.

I downloaded the Visual Studio 2008 and I own an older version (i think is 2006) but I can not make connection to the DB unless is MS Access, so looking to get more info from you experts.

Webmonkey

Sorry Louie, I won't be able to help with Visual Basic.

But if you ever think of using Java i'll be glad to help. best luck on it.

louie

I am looking at Netbeans website at the moment and I could download it to see what it's all about.

stevenmu

You should be able to use VB.net ok if you're already familiar with that. what you probably want to get is the .net mysql connector. Otherwise just use an ODBC connection.

louie

I got ".net mysql connector" before and couldn't make the connection at all, but I could connect to a local db which wasn't what I wanted.

What I probably need to do is use txt or xml files to work with the server through .php pages to maintain a local db to date and any updates export it in the same format to another .php page on the server to update the live DB.

What about uploading images? [(after being locally resized (100px & 800px)]

Webmonkey

Maybe port 3306 on the remote server is blocked.
AFAIK by default hosts, especially shared hosts don't allow remote connectivity to DBs

louie

I wouyldn't blame them for that.
Played around a bit with Netbeans and seems promising if I could make an internet connection to a particular page and play around with txt or xml files.

Webmonkey

Could set up a PHP socket server or something.

Have not done it myself but worth a read maybe: http://devzone.zend.com/node/view/id/1086

Then again you will have to find a port that is free and not blocked again.

You could just send a HTTP POST to a specific page and encrpyt the data and decrypt it on server page.

I dunno - some ideas there though.

misterq

Check out php gtk (http://gtk.php.net/).

I have used it for creating a fairly simple desktop app connecting into a MySQL database before.

As someone else mentioned, for security most hosters lock your MySQL account to local access on the server. Assuming you are using a shared hosting MySQL account.

You may be able to get them to open it up. They could either set a wildcard host entry or add in the IP address you are connecting from on your lan/pc.

If this app is to be used by others, you might have similar issues. I would recommend thinking about installing MySQL server on the network if this is possible.