[DISCUSS] Missing basic features ? ROADMAP

[Kim Kohen]

G'day Ruslan (or is it Roland? :),


> I'd like discuss this a lots and hear your feedback!
>   - Valentina should follow SQL92, SQL99, SQL2003 standard.   If  
> standard say something we shold do that.
••••
My feelings on standards are they're there to be complied with; but  
that's not to say they can't be expanded upon.


>     - sometimes some places can be EXTENDED but still to be not  
> against of standard.
••••
yes


>     - and can exists features totally missing in standard.
••••
perhaps. I would think if you comply with the standards it's  
relatively easy for people to migrate to valentina. Expanding the  
standards would only be a problem for people moving away from  
valentina, correct?



> * Kim, also please inform us what you want from Valentina but it  
> can't do.
••••
Actually most of the things I want (or wanted) are already being  
implemented.

The binding stuff is looking pretty neat, although I think I found a  
bug or two. I'll get around to reporting properly when I have time to  
play. I want to try and build an application entirely with binding -  
like I did with pgsql4rb.

Coming from FMP I was used to easy import/exports from numerous  
formats. As you know I struck a few bugs with MySQL dumps but they've  
been fixed as best as I can tell. That was enormously frustrating and  
it was certainly something I thought Valentina would just do.

I'd still like to see a conversion utility for other db engines:  
MySQL especially, but also PG, SQLite, Access, even Excel. I know  
most will be via ODBC but it would be nice to have a conversion  
utility which just worked.  I can't see that access to MySQL should  
be a big issue with licensing either - if the user already has a  
MySQL server running it would be assumed they had a license, yes?

As I said in an earlier email, I think the ultimate solution for  
someone using MySQL etc wanting to try Valentina would be to:

1) Convert db through conversion utility
2) change  mydb = new MySQL database to mydb = New Valentina Database
3) compile and build application :)



> * we have implement in Valentina 3.0 branch
••••
this contains most of my desires - especially the backups and  
scheduling. Whilst FMP doesn't have inbuilt scheduled backups, I've  
always deployed using FMP server which does - same with MySQL. It  
seemed very strange to me to not have scheduled backups for a server.

Triggers will be the other big one - will make many things a lot  
easier. Things like the creation date setting. Will also make it a  
snack to set pointer values or to set links.


> * for say 3.1  we will add support of LOG file, which can monitor  
> all changes and be applied to latest BACUKP.
••••
EVEN BETTER!!  this is the first I recall seeing this as an upcoming  
feature. We also run Sybase at work and it has always impressed me  
how easily restores can be done with log files.


> * and then all efforts will be directed to implementation of  
> transactions,
••••
Transactions aren't that important to my particular projects but I'm  
sure they are to others.


> * parallel we can and should improve such things as - more field  
> types  - more index types
••••
I believe you were working on improved full text indexing - that  
would be nice.


> About Valentina Studio.
••••
I know we've spoken in the past about CLI tools and Applescript but I  
would still like this access outside of VStudio. Ideally to have a  
javascript API where it could talk directly to the database. There's  
an Applescript application around called MySQL bridge that does this  
for MySQL. I'd still like to be able to have a two way data  
conversation with InDesign using javascript:)

Most of the things I need a CLI tool for could be written in RB so I  
guess it's not such a big deal anymore.  I already have a small  
utility running on a server at work which synchronises our current  
FMP solution with Valentina (and MySQL). This will make it possible  
to run the new RB app in parallel with FMP and still have up to date  
data.


> All together these plugins will move Valentina Studio to at least  
> FileMaker
> level.
••••
in what way?  I really like Valentina but Filemaker it aint. I'm not  
sure if the long term goal of paradigma is to move into the FMP  
market but if it is, you have a long way to go. For all its  
shortcomings, FMP is a mature product with a pretty rich feature set  
- it just starts to suck when you want your app to look and behave  
like a *real* app.

If you want a GUI, maybe you should talk to Servoy (although I never  
really liked their product).


> Also we need yet:
>         Develop powerful preferences.
>         Diagram Editor - for visual creation of table and links.
>         Report tool
>         SQL Builder - we have ideas how improve it a lots.
••••
these are all cool but tend to suggest the user will be doing  
everything in VStudio rather than building (or using) a custom  
application. It's not a problem, but it's not where my priorities lie.



cheers

kim