Mobile app to access online SQL2008 database

[jascook]

Hi,

I need to build something for my Nokia E71 that will search through the calendar for entries with a certain character at the beginning (indicating a new appointment), and then connect to the web and add that entry to a table in my website's SQL 2008 database. This is an appointment booking system. After insertion it will remove the "control" characters from the calendar entry/ies so the entry/ies don't get added again next time - this avoids the need to do a comparison of the calendar and database, and a "proper" sync (as it's only one-way, being mobile phone to website).

Not being a developer, although having learnt something of Asp.net and SQL along the way by building my website using Visual Web Developer, I would like to know what is the best method of building this mobile app.

My current thoughts are to use the Widget plugin for Visual Developer. I need to know if this will enable the app to:

1) Interface with the E71 calendar and collect the appropriate entries (does this mean using a specific API?)
2) Open an internet connection (whether by GSM or wireless)
3) Establish a connection to my SQL2008 database at my webhosting provider(using IP address, db name, username and password).
4) Construct an Sql UPDATE query to add the new appointment to the existing appointments table.
5) Verify that the UPDATE executed correctly.

It doesn't need to do anything amazing display-wise, just give a confirmation message that the entry was added to the website database.

If a widget is not the best way to approach this, can anybody suggest what would be? I'd prefer to do it this way if possible, as I'm familiar with Visual Developer and know next to nothing about C++/Java, although am ok with VB and can probably manage to learn and cobble something together in C++/Java if really necessary.

Additionally, does my website need to provide a special page for this purpose, or should the widget be able to login to the database server directly using the parameters mentioned?

Of coursr, if any code or modules already exist to do part(s) of this, I'd appreciate pointers!

With many thanks in advance.

Kind regards,

Jason

[jappit]

Hi Jason,

you can read calendar entries and send them to network from a WRT widget. What you cannot do is to directly query your remote database: what you need to do is to implement some server-side script or interface that receives the data from your widget, updates the database, and sends back to the widget a response in some standard format (e.g.: JSON, XML, or even plain text).

Hope it helps,
Pit

[rafiton]

Hi Jascook,

Widgets are perfect to what you are describing. Most of my apps work with databases.
But, indeed as Pit says, you need a simple server side component to process you data (php is perfect for this job) since it can work with databases and return a JSON result to your widget which can be easily processed by your widget.

In any event, I wouldn't advise working with a database directly from you client due to security issues (SQL injections etc) even if you can find a SQL javascript library.

Rafi