Re: Best way to access DB2 from Windows .asp and JavaScriptApplication

There are many courses for ASP and hundreds of books.  ASP is the second
most popular web server scripting languages, next to PHP.  ASP and Visual
Basic are extremly close.  It uses VBScript as the script language (ASP is
vbscript with the additional ASP object model).  And no, programming in ASP
is not a "bad thing" (outside of the normal Windows thing ;) ).

I say to use the OLE DB driver because with ASP, you are goign to use ADO
for database access.  ADO uses OLE DB.  So, if you use the OLE DB driver,
you go straight from ASP to OLE DB to Database.  If you use ODBC, you need
to go from ASP to OLE DB to OLE DB to ODBC driver to Database.  You end up
with an extra layer.  You can get the OLE DB driver from Client Access
Express.  It is part of the install (ODBC and OLE DB are included).

Now, here is somethign to mention.  I do recall you said it was free and
works well, which is good.  But, in geenral, it is bad programming practice
to have the web page (either with ASP, CGI, PHP, etc) directly interfcing
with yuor database.  The database and business logic should be in a DLL and
the ASP page should be calling the functionality out of it.  Granted many
people don't do that and most of the time the security issue isn't that big
of a deal, but you mentioned pin numbers, so the security aspect you may
want to consider if you are looking to do in house development.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dave Odom" <Dave.Odom@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, May 10, 2004 1:09 PM
Subject: Re: Best way to access DB2 from Windows .asp and
JavaScriptApplication


> First of all I want to thank all of your for your response to my
> question and your suggestions.   If I understand it correctly, for now,
> using ASP and Javascript is not a "bad thing".    I know there may be
> better programming methodologies and I'll entertain your suggestions.
> The application built in ASP and Javascript was free and performs what I
> need done but if it can be improved upon for better performance and
> maintainability, I'm all ears.   I need this application to perform well
> since it is being used by Internet customers asking for their initial
> PIN number online.
>
> BTW, where can I learn how to program in ASP so I can get my folks up
> to speed to maintain this application and not depend on an outside
> vendor?   Someone many have answered this and I missed it.
>
> Adam,
>
> You mentioned I should use the OLE DB drive instead of ODBC.   Why?
> What are advantages/disadvantages, etc., over ODBC?   Where can I tell
> my systems programmer to find that driver?  He may already know but just
> for my information.
>
> Again, thanks to you all for your help.
>
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Dave Odom
> Arizona