Relational database for submission tracking

[Siren]

Can anybody recommend a relational database for Mac OS X, please? One that is CHEAP, preferably? I have downloaded the trial version of Bento, but it turns out not to be relational (unless I'm missing something obvious) so I am rather disappointed. I don't want to spend as much as FileMaker costs, or even as much as Panorama, because I only want to create a single database and it seems silly to invest a lot of money in it.

Alternatively, is there a stand-alone, affordable package for submission tracking that is flexible enough to allow for one-to-many/many-to-one links, linked tables, secondary keys etc? That is, not just a basic spreadsheet-style flat format, but a more complicated one that lets you track multiple submissions to multiple clients, and to display data either by project or by client (amongst other criteria)?

[AmberV]

There are a few free databases that run nicely on a Mac. SQLite is probably sufficient for what you need, and of course there are the heavy-weights like MySQL; they run fine on Macs, too, in fact I keep a few databases running on my system for mail storage. Bento isn't really a database, at least not in the sense that it can be programmatically used to work with data. Framemaker is only marginally better; more like MS Access, so you'd probably be disappointed there too.

Some front-ends.

[Siren]

Thank you, Amber. I'll look into those options.

[Prion]

Something that has until now stopped me from using SQLite is that I always thought that although there are some apps that let you visually *manage* your database, you'd nonetheless be forced to *build* them manually, meaning without visual feedback hacking away in the commandline.

The CL is not evil in itself, but for the purpose of the creation of a database I have always regarded immediate visual feedback a tremendous help for identifying errors (which are never in short supply it seems ).

Any opinions, e.g. compelling arguments against this Access-ish attitude or pointers to apps that help in the creation phase of databases?

Much appreciated
Prion

[RobertB]

I like PostgreSQL. And the included PgAdmin is pretty nice and self explanatory way of using the database with a gui. You'd need to know a few basic SQL commands but nothing crazy (unless you plan on doing some hefty querying and inner joining or something).

[Hugh]

Siren,

Not exactly what you want, but it may be worth keeping a quarter of an eye on the development of this.

H

[Siren]

Hi Hugh,
That looks interesting, thank you. I'll keep an eye out for its Mac launch.

[pavig]

Would the database component of OpenOffice or NeoOffice suffuce?

[Siren]

Would the database component of OpenOffice or NeoOffice suffuce?

Last time I looked, no, they didn't do what I wanted. But after seeing your post, I searched again, and it appears that the NeoOffice database component is now described as relational. So I need to look at this further to find out if it is fully fledged or just a featherless promise of frustrated flight. However, the web sites are remarkably coy about the exact nature of the database component, and I am (frankly) fed up with downloading apps only to find that they are too basic, despite grandiose claims. Does anyone have experience of doing heavy cross-table database work with either of these database elements? And will they do what I want them to?

[Jaysen]

I hate myself already and I ahve not even gotten to the subject of the message. Bah!

I can't believe I am about to type this.

If you like/are comfortable with/know it will do what you want why not simply use Access?

I feel dirty.

Keep in mind that all "relations" in any DB, including assecc (it makes sense if you think about it phonetically) all rely on a series of joins and primary keys (with a marginal amount of integrity management) there is not much of a reason to avoid MySQL, Posgress, etc. It is the schema management tool where most folks choke and die. The DBA that i respect most uses a very simple tool called "paper and pencil". As in 8.5x11 and a No. 2. Granted he is a minor god around here, but his stuff is … simplicity. He minimizes the relational definitions to a manageable point then simply writes the definitions in SQL. His method has helped me quite a bit.

I know none of that blather was any help you to, but …

[Siren]

why not simply use Access?

Primarily because there isn't a Mac version!

[gr]

...and I am (frankly) fed up with downloading apps only to find that they are too basic, despite grandiose claims.

The answer is simple. Spend money!

--Greg

[Jaysen]

why not simply use Access?

Primarily because there isn't a Mac version!

I guess I am spoiled in having both OS available at the same time (I use parallels) and therefor being able to keep my precious OS X environment free of all things MS. Sorry.

I will now go back to my natural state of uselessness.

[xiamenese]

I think you'll find the nearest thing to Access is the database in NeoOffice or OpenOffice.org.

Not pleasant interface, though, when I looked at the NeoOffice version.

Mark