Database Development Forum: Add DB options

[wild_bill]

Is there a possibility some commonly used databases could be added as options when creating a new thread in the database development forum? This would be similar to the visual studio options in the VB.NET forum.

[Kasracer]

I like the idea but there are so many...

MSSQL2000, MSSQL2005, MSSQL2008, MySQL4, MySQL5.1, PostgreSQL, Oracle, Sybase, SQLite, FoxPro, FileMaker, Firebird, Access, etc (not counting the different versions of Oracle and other databases I'm not as familiar with).

See in VB.Net there are only so many options but in database.... phew.

[si_the_geek]

That is actually something we've discussed before (back when it was added to VB.Net), but unfortunately I don't think it would work too well as there are so many options.

I can easily list about 10 different database systems (although I guess 5 would cover the majority of threads), and at least 3 active versions/editions of each - which means we would need a minimum of about 15 options (whereas VB.Net has 3), and that would only cover the most commonly used systems.

[wild_bill]

What if we made it version independent? Something like this:
MS SQL
Oracle
Access
MySql
Other

[si_the_geek]

That is a possibility, but the version is often important too (and by having the DBMS there, people would assume they don't need to tell us).

[Kasracer]

For instance MySQL 4.0 doesn't have any type of stored procedure and different versions os MS SQL have different script components.

Like I said I like the idea but I don't see it as feasible..... unless we can make it a drop down? :)

[techgnome]

Besides it would be just one more option people would fail to set... or if they did, then they wouldn't realize that it replaced the text in the subject line .... which is why there are threads titled [2005] or [2008] from time to time.... only now it would be [SQL] ... [mySQL]

-tg

[si_the_geek]

To be honest I think the best thing we can do is try to "train" people who don't give the information we need - the Before you post sticky gives an explanation of the things that are usually needed, so directing them to that (repeatedly if needed!) should help.

[Kasracer]

Besides it would be just one more option people would fail to set... or if they did, then they wouldn't realize that it replaced the text in the subject line .... which is why there are threads titled [2005] or [2008] from time to time.... only now it would be [SQL] ... [mySQL]
Why was it coded that way? Why not add it before whatever text is in there?

[dclamp]

Why was it coded that way? Why not add it before whatever text is in there?
Well i think it was made with the idea that people would go from top to bottom... Select Version, Add title, Post question/etc. And it probably wasnt taken into consideration.

[wild_bill]

Besides it would be just one more option people would fail to set... or if they did, then they wouldn't realize that it replaced the text in the subject line .... which is why there are threads titled [2005] or [2008] from time to time.... only now it would be [SQL] ... [mySQL]

-tg

Better than "URGENT HELP NEEDED!!!" :lol:

Kind of off topic, in the vb.net forum, is there a way to require an option and title text?

[si_the_geek]

I think it is due to a technical limitation of some sort (perhaps due to usage in a particular browser?), but can't find the Mod forum thread where it was discussed - I can only find the original creation thread (March 06, with 271 posts!), and it would take quite a while to manually look thru the threads since then to find the actual explanation.

[techgnome]

I wouldn't make both required.... sometimes the problem is version independant. Plus I don't think the option value is part of the form data that is posted... it jsut simply runs a client-side javascript that sets the subject line.

-tg

[Hack]

It would also be one more custom thing that would have to get redone each time the site when through a software upgrade.

[techgnome]

would some thing like this be easier to implement/maintain?

-tg

[Kasracer]

I would imagine so but I would also imagine no one would read it.

[techgnome]

Well, it's not going to get read any less than the option buttons...

-tg

[Kasracer]

Yup I know. Perhaps the site should just read it to the user? Or yell it at the user