[mapserver-users] PHP Vs. Cold Fusion...

[Jessica Anderson]

Regina,

If I decide to use PHP I using Microsoft Access 2000 as the database and
IIS.  I use to the concept of going through cold fusion server and mapping
out the database and creating a datasource.  With PHP I am not sure how I
would create the datasource in order for the code to work properly.

Jessica

-----Original Message-----
From: Obe, Regina DND\MIS [mailto:robe.dnd at ci.boston.ma.us]
Sent: Monday, March 11, 2002 2:00 PM
To: 'janderson at PacificDataServices.com'
Cc:
Subject: RE: [mapserver-users] PHP Vs. Cold Fusion...



Jessica,

Hope this helps.  I'm sure Scott will comment too.  There are a number of
ways to do it in PHP.

PHP has an ODBC library that will allow you to create connections using a
named ODBC connection (setup via ODBC 32 control panel in windows).  It also
has native libraries for some of the common databases one for Mysql, one for
oracle, one for SQL Server, one for postgres, one for dbfs to name a few.

Then there is the abstraction db library (I think its in the PEAR system,
but haven't used that so not too familiar with it).

I have PHP classes built to access SQL server and mysql and one partly
written for ODBC that I could share if anyone is interested. Still a bit
rudimentary though, but can do things like draw listboxes with data from
databases.
-----Original Message-----
From: Jessica Anderson [mailto:janderson at PacificDataServices.com]
Sent: Monday, March 11, 2002 3:44 PM
To: 'Scott Carr'
Cc: mapserver-users at lists.gis.umn.edu
Subject: RE: [mapserver-users] PHP Vs. Cold Fusion...


Scott,

Thank you for your response.  I do have some other questions such as:

Does it run off a ODBC server?

For example for cold fusion you must map out the database through cold
fusion server in order for the code to work properly how would php work in
this sense?

I knew to mapserver and trying to figure out what approach I should use in
creating maps online.

I am currently running windows 2000 operating system.

Thanks,
Jessica

-----Original Message-----
From: Scott Carr [mailto:scottcarr at telocity.com]
Sent: Monday, March 11, 2002 10:40 AM
To: janderson at PacificDataServices.com
Subject: Re: [mapserver-users] PHP Vs. Cold Fusion...


The information for PHP is easily accessible.  PHP runs on practically
everything from Win95-WinXP, Linux, Unix, and Others.  You don't have to
purchase a runtime license.  PHP has ~1200 functions at your disposal
including the MapServer functions.

PHP is easier to use.  (Opinion big time)

Look at http://www.php.net for the full manual online in different formats.

<?php
    mysql_connect("localhost", "user", "password");
    mysql_selectdb("databasename");
    $myrows = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM users");
?>

Opens a database for use and runs a query on said database. Full code.

Do you have any other questions?

Jessica Anderson wrote:

>Could anyone explain how php would be more useful than cold fusion or the
>advantages of using php?
>
>Jessica Anderson
>Pacific Data Services
>PH. (209) 524-2479
>FAX. (209) 524-0282
>
>
>

--
Thanks

Scott Carr
OpenOffice.org
Whiteboard-Doc Maintainer
http://whiteboard.openoffice.org/doc/