Cross Ref > Tool Basics

With Perl, you simply copy your files to a web server that is capable of running Perl pages.

You can deploy your Microsoft Access application either with the full version of Access or with the Access Runtime (see Deploying Applications Using the Access Runtime).

Many developers just use a text editor but you have to be careful when developing on Windows and deploying to Unix/Linix. Some Windows text editors including Notepad, and Microsoft Expression Web save text files in UTF-8 which is not compatible with Unix/Linux.

There are many Perl editors available including ActivePerl Pro Studio, and the free Perl Express. I usually use Perl Express.

Quick Start: Install Perl to IIS or Apache, install Perl Express then configure to use Perl, then install MySQL. For IIS 7, you will likely have to configure Hangler Mappings and add %s %s.

Microsoft Office Access is the primary tool and does include pretty good debugging features, some limited OOP features such as designing a class and instantiating an object, and, best of all, MS still has developers working on MS Access (as opposed to Corel Paradox).

.pl is the traditonal default extension for Perl although some developers will change the default extension in an effort to add an additional security level and .cgi is still popular as a Perl associated extension as well as .plex and .aspl.

• .pl - Perl
• .cgi - Common Gateway Interface
• .plex - Perl Executable
• .aspl - Active Server Perl

• .MDB - Access Database
• .MDE - Protected Access Database

 Access VBA File Extensions (.MDB)

Language Overview: Perl is a stable, cross platform programming language.

Target Platforms: Perl is most suitable for creating websites targeting any browser (any web server with the Perl module installed).

History: PERL is an acronym for Practical Extraction and Report Language. It is used for mission critical projects in the public and private sectors. Perl is Open Source software, licensed under its Artistic License, or the GNU General Public License (GPL). Perl was created in 1987 by Larry Wall.

Language Overview: Class-based language. Although you can create classes, Access VBA is not fully OOP. It is a traditional language with a few OOP extensions. You code in a traditional approach using functions, procedures, and global data, and you can make use of simple classes to help organize your reusable code.

Target Platforms: Microsoft Access is most suitable for creating business desktop applications that run within Microsoft Access for Windows.

No built-in report writer but because website development targets a client browser (a document interfaced GUI), a common solution is to simply output an HTML formatted page with black text and a white background (not much control but it does work for some situations).

Microsoft Access offers a built-in reporting tool that will suffice for most desktop database applications.