Thanks for all your frank responses; Putting the cross platform issue aside, what I was envisioning was something like i have done before with VB where you have the front end query the database on the fly, but this would limit the use of this only if you are connected wirelessly.. unless you download the database and upload the database via the PC which would still have to have a connection to the dbase server.
Let's say in the App you would only have to enter the info of widgets as they come in and send this info to the server and get the inventory number back as real time as possible, is this just too complicated and would take more than 4 weeks? Then my question would be what kind of Apps are people writing out there for PDAs to make them useful for real time data application? I had thought that PDA had evolved more than what they actually have.. Again thanks for your responses Fernando > > From: Douglas Handy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: 2005/03/11 Fri PM 04:41:59 EST > To: "Palm Developer Forum" <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: Newbie question > > Fernando, > > >we would need real-time communication with the database server, > >and I was told that this App should be able to run on all PDAs out there. > > Your newbie status is showing. :) > > First, if you want cross-platform support for multiple operating systems, and > don't want a complete rewrite for each platform, your development environment > choices will be very limited. You may want to consider Crossfire, the new > name > for what used to be called AppForge. See > http://www.appforge.com/products/enterprise/crossfire/index.html > > That may have the lowest learning curve for you too, if you are familiar with > familiar with .NET development. It will also have the highest cost for your > IDE, plus runtime licenses per client of $25. I have no experience with > either > AppForge or Crossfile; I only mention it as an option to explore if you want > cross platform compatibility. > > Secondly, real-time coummunication with a database server is not even possible > on the vast majority of PDAs out there, so you'll fail on this project anyway. > Even if you limit yourself to just those running Palm OS, most won't handle > this > easily. In particular, if what you want is 802.11b WiFi, your choices are > very > limited. If you are also allowed Bluetooth or cable to a cell phone, your > number of choices go up but still isn't "all PDAs out there". > > Third, without knowing the complexity of their order system requirements, > given > the fact you appear to have a steep learning curve yet in front of you, I'd > say > your chances of being on time and within budget and meeting the stated > objectives are very low. > > If you have done .NET work and written TCP/IP client and server applications > and > are willing to pay for Crossfire, then it may be possible if the order system > requirements are not too complex. But it will still only run on PDAs which > can > do real-time communication to the server, and that most definately is not "all > PDAs out there". > > Ironically, assuming you have TCP sockets experience, this project may well > take > *less* learning curve than a typical order entry for a PDA, because you can > offload all the database work to the server. That saves you a *lot* of > learning > curve on using Palm OS based databases, conduits, etc. > > YMMV. > > Doug > > -- > For information on using the Palm Developer Forums, or to unsubscribe, please > see http://www.palmos.com/dev/support/forums/ > -- For information on using the Palm Developer Forums, or to unsubscribe, please see http://www.palmos.com/dev/support/forums/
