Re: [GENERAL] Viable alternatives to SQL?
On 27 Aug 2009, at 17:11, pgsql-general-ow...@postgresql.org wrote: From: Kelly Jones kelly.terry.jo...@gmail.com Date: 27 August 2009 14:43:51 BST To: pgsql-general@postgresql.org Subject: Viable alternatives to SQL? Many sites let you search databases of information, but the search queries are very limited. I'm creating a site that'll allow arbitrary SQL queries to my data (I realize I'll need to handle injection attacks). Are there other viable ways to query data? I read a little on Business System 12 (BS12), Tutorial D, and even something called T-SQL (I think), but they all seem theoretical and not fully implemented. I want a query language that non-techies can use easily, but also supports arbitrarily complex queries. Does such a language exist? Originally I was using the webexone.com database to allow non-techies to create tables and views, however found it too limiting - the functional ceiling too low. So our org. built a web-app for this based on postgres - a GUI. However it's not aimed at letting non-techies do everything, which is rather ambitious. People familiar with SQL and relational db concepts can do practically everything but non-techs can do simpler tasks. For example I recently used some of the new windowing functions (yay!) in a view but users typically add/remove fields, filters and aggregate calculations. Info at www.gtportalbase.com, it's also just gone on github as open source. Oliver Kohll
[GENERAL] Viable alternatives to SQL?
Many sites let you search databases of information, but the search queries are very limited. I'm creating a site that'll allow arbitrary SQL queries to my data (I realize I'll need to handle injection attacks). Are there other viable ways to query data? I read a little on Business System 12 (BS12), Tutorial D, and even something called T-SQL (I think), but they all seem theoretical and not fully implemented. I want a query language that non-techies can use easily, but also supports arbitrarily complex queries. Does such a language exist? -- We're just a Bunch Of Regular Guys, a collective group that's trying to understand and assimilate technology. We feel that resistance to new ideas and technology is unwise and ultimately futile. -- Sent via pgsql-general mailing list (pgsql-general@postgresql.org) To make changes to your subscription: http://www.postgresql.org/mailpref/pgsql-general
Re: [GENERAL] Viable alternatives to SQL?
Hibernate is a ORM technology which configures bean classes which will construct DB statements based on the method(create,replace,update,delete) from the bean class attributes(columns) to quote Hibernate allows you to express queries in its own portable SQL extension (HQL), as well as in native SQL, or with an object-oriented Criteria and Example API. Hibernate currently supports the following databases Microsoft SQL Server 2005/2000OracleMicrosoft AccessFirebirdPostgreSQLDB2 UDBMySQLSQLite https://www.hibernate.org/ Martin Gainty __ Verzicht und Vertraulichkeitanmerkung/Note de déni et de confidentialité Diese Nachricht ist vertraulich. Sollten Sie nicht der vorgesehene Empfaenger sein, so bitten wir hoeflich um eine Mitteilung. Jede unbefugte Weiterleitung oder Fertigung einer Kopie ist unzulaessig. Diese Nachricht dient lediglich dem Austausch von Informationen und entfaltet keine rechtliche Bindungswirkung. Aufgrund der leichten Manipulierbarkeit von E-Mails koennen wir keine Haftung fuer den Inhalt uebernehmen. Ce message est confidentiel et peut être privilégié. Si vous n'êtes pas le destinataire prévu, nous te demandons avec bonté que pour satisfaire informez l'expéditeur. N'importe quelle diffusion non autorisée ou la copie de ceci est interdite. Ce message sert à l'information seulement et n'aura pas n'importe quel effet légalement obligatoire. Étant donné que les email peuvent facilement être sujets à la manipulation, nous ne pouvons accepter aucune responsabilité pour le contenu fourni. Date: Thu, 27 Aug 2009 06:43:51 -0700 Subject: [GENERAL] Viable alternatives to SQL? From: kelly.terry.jo...@gmail.com To: pgsql-general@postgresql.org Many sites let you search databases of information, but the search queries are very limited. I'm creating a site that'll allow arbitrary SQL queries to my data (I realize I'll need to handle injection attacks). Are there other viable ways to query data? I read a little on Business System 12 (BS12), Tutorial D, and even something called T-SQL (I think), but they all seem theoretical and not fully implemented. I want a query language that non-techies can use easily, but also supports arbitrarily complex queries. Does such a language exist? -- We're just a Bunch Of Regular Guys, a collective group that's trying to understand and assimilate technology. We feel that resistance to new ideas and technology is unwise and ultimately futile. -- Sent via pgsql-general mailing list (pgsql-general@postgresql.org) To make changes to your subscription: http://www.postgresql.org/mailpref/pgsql-general _ Windows Live: Keep your friends up to date with what you do online. http://windowslive.com/Campaign/SocialNetworking?ocid=PID23285::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:SI_SB_online:082009
Re: [GENERAL] Viable alternatives to SQL?
On Thu, Aug 27, 2009 at 8:43 AM, Kelly Joneskelly.terry.jo...@gmail.com wrote: Many sites let you search databases of information, but the search queries are very limited. I'm creating a site that'll allow arbitrary SQL queries to my data (I realize I'll need to handle injection attacks). Are there other viable ways to query data? I read a little on Business System 12 (BS12), Tutorial D, and even something called T-SQL (I think), but they all seem theoretical and not fully implemented. I want a query language that non-techies can use easily, but also supports arbitrarily complex queries. Does such a language exist? Yeah, it's called SQL Seriously, you're two requirements are rather contradictory. We have many end users who use SQL, learning just enough to get the job done when we have this kind of problem. Having said that, is there a reason why you are not looking at end user query interfaces such as Hyperion or Cognos? You might also look at natural language or controlled vocabulary interfaces; if the queries are domain specific (eg. medical) then you can often pick off some low hanging fruit fairly quickly. If the problem domain is non specific then I don't think you'll be able to meet these requirements without throwing a lot of money at the problem (The Cyc guys come to mind ;-)... -- Peter Hunsberger -- Sent via pgsql-general mailing list (pgsql-general@postgresql.org) To make changes to your subscription: http://www.postgresql.org/mailpref/pgsql-general
Re: [GENERAL] Viable alternatives to SQL?
On Thu, Aug 27, 2009 at 06:43:51AM -0700, Kelly Jones wrote: Are there other viable ways to query data? I read a little on Business System 12 (BS12), Tutorial D, and even something called T-SQL (I think), but they all seem theoretical and not fully implemented. I want a query language that non-techies can use easily, but also supports arbitrarily complex queries. Does such a language exist? I've never heard of the first two, as far as I can recall. T-SQL is quite common, however (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transact-SQL), but although I've never used it, I seriously doubt it will make things any more user friendly. Several business intelligence applications try to allow users to generate their own queries by providing a query builder system of some sort. These are far from simple drop-in systems, in general. For instance, I'm using Pentaho (http://www.pentaho.com) in a project, to allow users to write their own reports. I've had to create a sort of schema metadata thing, which tells Pentaho what my database looks like, how various tables relate to each other, etc., and creates a set of objects my users will immediately understand, along with some method to turn those objects into database queries. Pentaho allows the users to drag and drop those objects into a report, creating filters and sorting constraints, different groupings, etc., in a fairly user-friendly way. When they run the report, Pentaho translates their input into SQL. Anyway, you might try using a reporting package rather than trying to write your own query interface and provide for user-friendly error reporting, decent security constraints, etc. -- Joshua Tolley / eggyknap End Point Corporation http://www.endpoint.com signature.asc Description: Digital signature
Re: [GENERAL] Viable alternatives to SQL?
Joshua Tolley wrote: I've never heard of the first two, as far as I can recall. T-SQL is quite common, however (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transact-SQL), but although I've never used it, I seriously doubt it will make things any more user friendly. TransactSQL, sometimes called TSQL, is MS SQL Server's equivalent of PL/PGSQL. I doubt this is what the OP was referring to. -- Sent via pgsql-general mailing list (pgsql-general@postgresql.org) To make changes to your subscription: http://www.postgresql.org/mailpref/pgsql-general
Re: [GENERAL] Viable alternatives to SQL?
On Thu, Aug 27, 2009 at 9:43 AM, Kelly Joneskelly.terry.jo...@gmail.com wrote: Many sites let you search databases of information, but the search queries are very limited. I'm creating a site that'll allow arbitrary SQL queries to my data (I realize I'll need to handle injection attacks). Are there other viable ways to query data? I read a little on Business System 12 (BS12), Tutorial D, and even something called T-SQL (I think), but they all seem theoretical and not fully implemented. I want a query language that non-techies can use easily, but also supports arbitrarily complex queries. Does such a language exist? SQL is your best bet. It is probably the most natural language for non-programmers to learn and understand. It scales in difficulty with the problem you are trying to solve and is _much_ easier for non technical user than something like an ORM. That said, if your site allows arbitrary queries, sql injection is not your only problem. It is trivially easy to write a query that can DOS your server (with SQL access I could take any PostgreSQL server down in about 1 second)so you need to think about how exactly who your are going to allow access to your database and how they can access it. merlin -- Sent via pgsql-general mailing list (pgsql-general@postgresql.org) To make changes to your subscription: http://www.postgresql.org/mailpref/pgsql-general
