Miva Script and Large Enterprise Data

Miva Merchant for Ecommerce

Miva Script and Large Enterprise Data
Miva Conference 2002
San Diego

for Miva Language Programing

Introduction (11:00-11:05)

Me - Alan Runfeldt, partner in and Director of Operations for JustASKthem.com

Webhost - rComm.net, NoDeadlines.com
Taught web server installation, website development for American Institute 1996-97
Grew up to be a printer (the trade has become a museum)
developed typesetting and database publishing software 1980-85
with experience in graphic design + SGML coding for typesetting + database publishing + telecommunications, migration to internet technologies came naturally.
Developed many Miva data management and code-generating Utilities - but nothing for sale (yet)
Architecht and System Administrator of ATT WorldNet Customer Satisfaction Survey & Reporting System (4 years 1998-2002)

You are:

Miva Merchant Users (Retailers)
Miva Script Application Developers (Programmers)

Experienced Database Programmers & Administrators
New to programming, using Miva as first cgi or database language

Miva Script - is what we all have in common

Miva Script is: (11:05-11:15)

A pure CGI Programming Language; it runs on the server

Developed specifically for CGI applications (excellent for training)

a "Server-Safe" application (web hosting companies like that!)
an SGML language - "Simplified Graphical Markup Language"
XML-compliant - already prepared for the future

Perl, C, C++ are Operating System Languages, used for CGI

can do anything a Unix scripting lanuage needs to
but there no safeguards for the server

A Database Programming Lanuagei

Empressa includes its own database engine
Has the ability to read, write, create and delete data sources

ascii (text) files
xBase dbf files
SQL interface on Windows servers
SQL interfaces on Unix servers (developed by justASKthem.com)
XML data

Platform Independent (like Java)

Miva Empressa runs on the web server
Miva Mia runs on the desktop exactly as it would on a server.

Integrating Miva Engine with other Data Sources and formats (11:15-11:25)

Import/Export

ascii files convenient for import/export demodata.dat

"Pipe-delimited"

"csv" - comma-delimited ascii files (Excel export)

Alan,Runfeldt,alanr@alanr.com,Frenchtown,NJ
Joe,Austin,joe@Miva.com, San Diego, CA

xBase dbf files
Bridge to other data sources

Perl bridge
SQL on Windows platforms (but why risk it???)
SQL on Unix platforms added via customer-made commerce library

(Miva compiler will do this, too..)

Large Enterprise Data (11:25-11:45)

What's "Large"?

100k ...-> 2,000k

How well does Miva manage large files? Very well.

100k records ... 2 million records
like a large stack of bricks...

Can Miva replace Oracle? No, but you don't always need Oracle
Can Miva use external data sources? Of course.

Oracle tables
MySQL tables (natively)
ascii data
XML data

Tips for managing large databases (11:40-11:50)

httpd limitations

server timeouts
browser's capacity to display results

Use Telnet to run "from the command line"

use nohup to keep script running
use email to report on progress

NotifySysadmin('report from program','I started doing this processing')
NotifySysadmin('report from program','I finished doing this processing and here are the results:")

log files

critical fields timestamp
filename[cc][yy][mm].log

server filesystem size limitations
use the server's directory tree:

http://Alanr.com/ask3/demo/index.html -->"/com/alanr/ask3/demo/index_html/"

Create online utilities:

Database description and reporting - using MvRevealStructure()

data editing capabilities

Miva<->MySQL Demo (local link)

Tips for managing Application Development (11:50-11:55)
Basic rules:

Every Script must have a standard reference header
Main Logic must display within 20 lines of code
All IF and WHILE loops must display within 20 lines of code

Primary script for any database table must contain structure & function to create that table.
Every script which accesses an indexed database must be able to reproduce any index it requires.

Every edit must be logged in EditHistory function
Function defs should be visually set off by comment lines
All but most simple functions should have explanatory comments
Always check for existance of any data file to prior to attempting to read or write.
Creation of new tables must be logged.
Open and close all tables within one function
ALWAYS end main logic with "MvExit"
Index files should be referenced using the uppercase value of the index field name as in filename.FIELDNAME.mvx
Function definitions include "purpose:" and "usage:" explanation and example code
Each script's comments should contain testing routines and test urls for both Miva Mia and online. 16. Data-capturing scripts should include data-retrieval and display routines as well for testing. 17. For command-line applications, tested telnet strings must be in the comments.
Scripts that write log files must also have the ability to read and display the logs
In order for functions to be displayed using MivaDocs, the MivaDoc specification must be followed MivaDoc specification: Script ID:

MIVA description = "Date/Time utility functions."

MivaDocs

Use MivaDocs to find functions
MivaDoc demo

Logic Diagrams

Program with pictures; code with keystrokes

Test, Test, Test

"Do not deploy before it's time"
If the application does not include all the features you want in it, version 1 is beta...

Questions ??