Hi, this is one of those difficult questions about where to start! I want to create a book-keeping/accounting application for my own use 1. because I can't find any that suits me, and 2. because I want to improve and extend my knowledge of Python.
Clearly this is going to be a database application - the trouble is, that despite reading loads of stuff (including previous posts here on the topic), I get a Catch-22 feeling that I need to be an expert with 'the big picture' before I can even take my first stumbling steps towards becoming that expert! Also the trouble with reading stuff on the web is that you don't know who is an out-on-a-limb lunatic, and who is talking sense backed up with concrete experience. And of course, quite understandably, everyone wants you to use *their* module/driver/database/whatever. Here's where I am: I have a reasonable grasp of Python (but realise that I have a lot still to learn). I have written database applications before, but only using MS Access (both with its own Jet database and with MSDE/SQL-Server) - no major boasts here, let's just say they *worked*! The thing is, Access rather pampers you with visual tools for doing many aspects of the work, and even a neat little environment to manage your code. Now I want to move on, and use Python, probably with a RDBMS. I haven't chosen the database - difficult again, because although this will be a small application, it is accounting data, so its integrity is paramount, and certain inviolable constraints must be built in at a very fundamental level (the data needs protection from my code!!). I will also obviously need a UI, probably a GUI (but it would be nice to keep my options open to do a web UI version at some point). So here's the thing. Even though I have quite a clear idea of what the database schema will look like, and what the UI will *do* (even though I don't know what it will look like), I'm having real trouble understanding how/where to start. I'm tempted to try to put together a 'kit' of tools (as visual as possible) to emulate what I'm used to - but is this a good idea? and if so, which tools? What on earth is my application's model going to look like? should I get involved with object-relational mapping? how much work should I delegate to the RDBMS, and how much logic should I code in Python? Should I even be thinking radically and ditch the RDBMS in favour of something like a 'Prevalence Layer' that I have read about? what should inform these decisions? I just don't know where to start! A book perhaps, but then, which one? Or maybe an example app for me to pick apart and learn from? Sorry it is such a vague question, but any pointers gratefully received. _______________________________________________ Tutor maillist - Tutor@python.org http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor
