Content area
Full text
Keywords
Databases, Computer programming, Information retrieval, Internet, Information resources management
Abstract
A tutorial on how to create Web-enabled databases. The combination of Inmagic's DB/TextWorks, ODBC Drivers, and Perl operating on a Windows NT server work together to form an effective database-driven Web environment. Describes the process for installing all the components of this system. Example HTML pages and Perl scripts taken from the author's lib-web-cats database illustrate the basics of CGI programming and the process of delivering information from a database to Web users.
Introduction
One of the key ways to energizing a Web site involves tapping into the power of information held in database systems. Presenting lists of information on a static HTML page simply does not work as an effective means of providing access to large amounts of information content. A Web-enabled database connects an organization's users to its information resources. This method takes advantage of record structures, indexes, searchand-retrieval engines, and other features inherent in databases to provide more sophisticated access to content. Web-enabled databases also separate raw information from its presentation, making it easy to create a new look and feel for a Web site without recreating its underlying content.
This article outlines a roadmap for the construction of Web-enabled databases. While the examples that I give are specific to Inmagic's DB/TextWorks and OBDC Drivers, the general approach can be applied to other database applications. With only a few changes, the Perl programs described in this article can be used with other databases such as MySQL. As long as the database manager runs under Windows NT and has an ODBC interface, then the programming models described here should apply fairly closely. Along the way, we'll cover the basics of CGI (Common Gateway Interface) which is the basis of programming for a variety of Web applications.
Inmagic's WebPublisher vs ODBC
Inmagic's DB/Text WebPublisher product offers one approach to the creation of Webenabled databases that I have been using for quite some time. While a generally functional and easy-to-use product, it is one with some limitations. In order to continue to leverage the ability power of DB/TextWorks to deal with large quantities of textual data, and to make use of databases that I have created over the years...
We're sorry, your institution doesn't have access to this article through ProQuest.
You may have access to this article elsewhere through your library or institution, or try exploring related items you do have access to.