DBACentral For MySQL Mimics Microsoft Access

Even something as simple as adding fields to tables can be challenging for Access users, since DBACentral uses naming conventions like Domain, Dimension and Key sub-parts, which are part of MySQL. Access uses different names for those fields and properties.

Unfortunately, the last step for creating tables in DBACentral can really confuse newcomers, even though the process is wizard-based. A checkbox feature that users must select after completing a table does not automatically refresh on the main UI, so tables cannot be seen unless a manual refresh is performed. The tables are created in MySQL but cannot be viewed in DBACentral. If a user is not aware of this, an error message is displayed by the wizard.

DBACentral's Form Wizard is also similar to the wizard in Access. Most of the functionality and elements of DBACentral's forms are identical to Access forms, except that Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) can be embedded in Access forms. DBACentral does offer key features that are more useful to application providers. For instance, by right-clicking on a form, the software can convert forms into PHP-compliant pages, so application providers can quickly build powerful forms for the Web. The form feature also includes a Form Tree View pane to view and adjust all the fields in a form and a Form Inspector to modify all the controls and properties in a form. Access still uses an antiquated method to view and change properties in forms.

The DBACentral software includes an embedded HTML editor, PHP viewer and a Web browser. Pages can be designed, tested and viewed in the same environment. To add more external functionality, application providers must turn to PHP editors and debuggers.

DBACentral supports MySQL 5.0 stored procedures, allowing application providers to code multistep SQL statements in a single sequence. Access lacks this feature and instead provides macros to connect SQL queries. What's more, procedures take full advantage of SQL's mathematical, logical and server-specific statements, so application providers can code complex logic in the native environment rather than depending on scripting languages such as PHP or VBA-like tools. Since SQL is portable, developers are also not tied to DBACentral.

In addition to stored procedures, MySQL 5.0 and DBACentral support stored functions. These functions reuse SQL code in stored procedures. Once saved in a MySQL server, stored functions are called to perform frequent tasks that do not require constant updates. DBACentral supports database profiles, which are used to store various database properties in a text file. In addition to forms and queries, the software includes well-designed profiles to define relationships between tables, connection properties and users. With DBACentral, profiles can be easily exchanged between databases through an import wizard. DBACentral also supports Interactive SQL (ISQL) profiles. ISQL supports MySQL tables and field types, including BLOBs and InnoDB. Access only provides a simple documentation feature to annotate some of its database objects in a text file.

DBACentral's MyISQL is an excellent tool for designing queries through a Visual Query Builder. MyISQL supports external SQL scripts, multiple file-format output and templates for designing custom queries. MyISQL also includes a multiple document interface for running queries in more than one windows.

While MyISQL's interface is not as simple as the Access query design feature, it simplifies query construction more effectively. DBACentral's Query Wizard displays the initial conditions of a query and provides a button to add more conditions to a statement. By clicking on a new condition, the wizard displays all the possible comparative statements that can be added in a statement. Statements can be aggregated as well to form complex expressions. Access provides some auto-fill capabilities but for most queries application providers have to add conditions manually.

For a single license, DBACentral costs $124.95 and includes online technical support. Russia-based MicroOLAP has yet to establish a channel program in the United States; however, the company offers a 20 percent to 40 percent discount on the end-user price for volume resellers. Premium-level support is also offered to partners with site licenses, including access to development team members to help with development projects.