macOS The Database To Use ??

[Fritzables]

Hi to All,

I am about to embark on writing an application that will require a database, and it will need to be transportable if at all possible.

As some of you know, I have recently come across from using Windows where I used SQL Server. Used MS Access for the transportable database

When it comes to Mac, I am a little out of water, so any suggestions would be appreciated.

I do believe MySQL is one of the top ranking databases for Mac but I don't think you can distribute the database with your app unless you have MySQL installed.

Pete

 

[Hansr]

SQLlite.

 

[Fritzables]

Thanks Hansr..... SQLlite has it then.....


Pete

 

[larkost]

The big problem with your post is that you don't describe at all what sort of a project (primarily scope) you are thinking about working on. The closest you come to that is to say that you used Microsoft SQL Server, building your apps in Access.

The closest competition to that combination is FileMaker (or 4D). Note that FileMaker has a very different feel than SQL-based solutions, so people coming from SQL-based systems tend to get frustrated working with it until they adjust their thinking, so you see a lot of people trashing it.

If you are working on a query-able data store that will only be used inside one application (so embedded in that application, not available to other computers), then a couple of good choices:

- SQLite
- CoreData (An Apple-supplied framework built on SQLite)

If you need more robust handling of data, or need one database to provide data to multiple processes/computers, than there are a number of full fledged databases available:

- MySQL
- PostgreSQL
- a number of commercial options such as Sybase, Informix, etc...

The big thing to note here is that PostgreSQL is BSD licensed, so you can put it into any project for free. And despite the lack of MySQL-level hype around it is is a better database in most regards.

MySQL is available either under commercial terms, or the GPL-license, and that includes the MySQL connector that you must put in your application if you are going to connect to MySQL. So there is no way of selling a compiled application (web apps are different) that uses MySQL without buying a license.

 

[Fritzables]

Thanks larkost,

When I was designing under that other OS I would use SQL Server as the application would typically run across a server that had access to a SQL Server database.

On the other hand, there were times where I would design stand-alone apps where I used Access and write the .NET interfaces into the code.

This is the case here - I want to develop a Contest Logbook to be used by the Radio Amateur groups where they don't need to install any database application to run it - but have the app access a database that would install as part of the initial application installation.

It looks like I will give SQLlite a try. Have been to the Home Webpage and taken a look. I am assuming that I will need to download the Source Code and compile that??

Pete

 

[jiminaus]

It looks like I will give SQLlite a try. Have been to the Home Webpage and taken a look. I am assuming that I will need to download the Source Code and compile that??

Not necessary. SQLite is included with Mac OS X. It's one of the back ends to Core Data.

 

[Fritzables]

G'Day JimInAus,

How ya been?? All good up this way but still a tad cool.

Well, there ya go, I wasn't aware of that.

Thanks for the tip.

Fritzables.