sudip wrote:Hello Friends,
I am now mainly working with SQLite. As of now my 3 small apps (with HMG) use SQLite. I like to start a new app for small shops (retailer shop, not wholesale). Can you please suggest me what DBMS / RDD should I use - DBFCDX, SQLite or big DBMS like PGSql or MySql.
I am considering DBFCDX, due to record locking facility, speed (at least for single user), ease of software development. But, chances of data corruption is also higher.
It will be great helpful if all of you please share your views regarding this subject.
Thanks in advance
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Dear Sudip:
Please design your software with the kind of store-size you'll be catering to. I think your these stores will be doing with 1 computer. But you consider the following setup as minimum.
1)Billing Counters - 02 (the POS terminal)
2)Back office job - 01 (for purchase, accounts entry & maintenance)
3)Management/owner - 01 (for MIS & daily activity reports)
So 1 computer will work as Server and the other ones will work as Clients. Make the system SERVER as per the situation. POS terminal can also be made server if there's minimum requirement of the back office computer. And your this server will contain the database.
Please always consider in your design - minimum of two billing counters. Any stores with heavy footfalls or stores spread in floors or in different departments will call for atleast two POS terminals. And you may handle the billing/invoice nos. user/pos terminal-wise to cope with concurrency issue.
Now coming to Database -
Don't make any haste decision and let our fourm members who develop & maintain real life applications using HMG come up with their feedbacks. Your this design will be the backbone of your application......otherwise you may have to compromise a lot in future or re-write again.
I'm very much comfortable with DBMS but have to see its drawbacks also....moreover a few of your new clients will ask for which kind of database.....DBF files will not fetch good impression...eventually money.
What bout your MySQL or MSDE?! A little bit of today's pain may ultimately give you good gain in future. Try to shed your comfortability with DBFCDX environment and think rationally..... if we can still do with DBFCDX then fine, otherwise have to take a call.
Is there anyway way - start with DBFCDX environment and later on can switch to any other RDBMS with minimum level of code change. Main changes will be in routines to fetch data from the database and replacing data to database.
Lets discuss and come to a solution which fits your (and mine too, atleast!) bill.