I need help choosing, and then writing...

[HaLo2FrEeEk]

I've tried Java: I hate it, I have no experience with C (in any variation), J (in any variation) or pretty much anything other than HTML, CSS, Javascript, PHP, and AJAX.  I want to do a simple program that will allow me to record a podcast audio file (probably in another program, actually), then upload it to a certain directory on my site, and insert values into the database about the podcast (such as title, timestamp, description, duration, etc.).  I know this is possible, I just need some help getting started.  First off, what program should I use, and also, what language?

[trq]

I'm not sure how podcasts work exactly but assuming they are just a downloaded file this could easily be done with php alone.

 

Another option and a very powerfull easy to learn language would be python. There are various audio, http and dbms libs around for it.

[HaLo2FrEeEk]

I just need to be able to upload and add the value, preferably.  Can pythin be used offline, andcompiled as an executable, preferably one that doesn't need to be installed?  I don't need any editing or anything...nothing more than taking an audio file and putting it on a predescribed format on my server (which I can probably do with putty's pscp program (I can make a batch file that would let me do this with this command:

 

pscp -l [myusername] -pw [mypassword] "%1" claninfectionist.com:claninfectionist.com/podcasts/

 

I would just have to name the file what I wanted it to be on the server, then make it so when I right click mp3 files, it includes the ability to upload to that folder.  But then I also need to be able to add the values to my database fromthe program (I want this to not be web-based, else I could and would use php), and I want it to all do it in one program:

 

open program

select file to upload

enter my mysql login details (for security reasons)

add the title and description

the prog. would automatically get the date and time of upload

It would also need to get the length of the audio file

 

The file would then be uploaded to the server, and the other info put into the database in certain fields.

 

Based on these specifications, could I do this with Python?  And can I compile python into an executable that doesn't need to be installed?

 

Thank you for your help.

[fert]

And can I compile python into an executable that doesn't need to be installed

I believe there are python compliers, but usually python is an interpreted language

[trq]

I want this to not be web-based, else I could and would use php

 

PHP is not strictly for use in a web environment. before I learnt Python, I used to use PHP for quite a bit of my cli scripting tasks. Now I use either bash or Python depending on what the job at hand requires.

 

Based on these specifications, could I do this with Python?  And can I compile python into an executable that doesn't need to be installed?

 

Yes and yes.

[HaLo2FrEeEk]

Nice, ok, I'll google a bit about python and start learning it, and I'll look for a compiler, too.  I'll be back for more help, but for now you guys have started me out right, thanks.

[HaLo2FrEeEk]

Ok, help time.  I'm trying first to connect to my database and add a test value to a test database.  I cannot even get MySQLdb to import properly.  I have it downloaded and I've installed it, but nothing, no workie.  Please help.

[keeB]

Let this be an exercise in how NOT to ask for help

 

import MySQLdb says what?

PYTHONPATH environment variable is set to what?

[HaLo2FrEeEk]

>>> import MySQLdb

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<pyshell#0>", line 1, in <module>
    import MySQLdb
  File "C:\Program Files\Python25\lib\site-packages\MySQLdb\__init__.py", line 19, in <module>
    import _mysql
ImportError: DLL load failed with error code 193

 

That's what I get then I try to import MySQLdb.  I don't know how to check pythonpath, I told you, I've never learned this language, I'm starting from scratch.  Just please be patient.

[keeB]

Do you have mysql installed?

[HaLo2FrEeEk]

Yes...it obviously called __init__.py, which is in the mysql installation directory.  It's having a problem with line 19, which is simply:

 

import _mysql

 

The file in the directory above is called _mysql.py...so there should be no problem.

 

I'm running Windows Vista 64 Ultimate bit, btw.

[keeB]

no no. I don't mean the mysql python bindings. these are obviously installed.

 

I am talking about this:

ImportError: DLL load failed with error code 193

 

Search google for that line.

[HaLo2FrEeEk]

So...could I do this with PHP-GTK?  I mean, I already know the required PHP to do this on the web end, I'm only holding back becuase I don't want this to be web-based.  Could I use the PHP-GTK tools to make a GUI application and do that instead?  That would be great!

[gruzaw]

Maybe try and learn C#? that would give you a good start for ASP.Net. I know that it's all m$ and stuff and not true open source, but it's got it advantages too. There's a lot of support around for ASP.Net and the possible salaries are really high. I know that what I say is in huge contrast with everyone else here, but I think it's always good to take a look at the other side too. Especially if you say you never tried any C, and have experience with PHP. more skills can't possibly hurt you. and of course there's a whole lot more if your into web development.. you can try RoR or some other Ruby framework, or if you already started on Python, there's Django, Mighty. plenty to choose from. Good luck!

[trq]

So...could I do this with PHP-GTK?  I mean, I already know the required PHP to do this on the web end, I'm only holding back becuase I don't want this to be web-based.  Could I use the PHP-GTK tools to make a GUI application and do that instead?  That would be great!

 

No reason why not, I really don't see why you need any gui at all though. This could quite easily be done with php's cli.

[HaLo2FrEeEk]

I want a GUI, but I don't need it.  Even when I'm creating something that only I'll ever see (like the administration section for my site, which only I ever see), I make it look pretty, I follow my site's theme and include the headers and footers, just for continuity's sake.  I like it to look easy, that way if I need to ever pass the site along to a new person, they can pick up with complete, easy-to-use tools.

 

So basically I just have to learn php-gtk now...shouldn't be too difficult, I would think.  I'll look into it, I'll also look more into python, though I still can't get mysql to work properly, it might be becuase I'm on Vista 64 bit, or I might just suck.  I also might possibly look at C.