Programming Archives - Comeau Software Solutions

MySQL User Defined Function Example: Data Cleanup

May 23, 2016July 13, 2026 Andrew Comeau

(Updated June 9, 2016)

The Challenge

One of my current projects involves migrating a large amount of data away from an old custom Borland Paradox application into a new CiviCRM system. As with too many quickly-constructed apps, this old Paradox database wasn’t especially well designed and, among other the other challenges in salvaging the data, there were no restrictions on how dates could be entered. This means that, in multiple fields within each of the 20,000+ database records, I might see any of the following:

03-14-96
5/20/1975
10/02/83
09051975
07.19.1995
19830211121500

While CiviCRM does have a utility for importing data from CSV and other SQL tables, it was having quite a time with this collection and many of the dates were being mishandled. That’s if the records weren’t rejected entirely for other reasons. Data migration doesn’t often happen with just a few settings adjustments and a click of the Import button.

Database Design, MySQL, Programming

Coding Basics – Deceptively Simple Programming

May 4, 2016July 13, 2026 Andrew Comeau

In my last post on coding basics, I talked about turning an algorithm into code and used Euclid’s Algorithm as an example of programming a sequence of steps. There’s an even simpler type of algorithm that I want to look at this time.

A formula, such as the one for converting Fahrenheit to Celsius, is also a series of steps that must be performed in order to achieve the needed result. These calculations can be represented within C# or other programming languages to include the formula as part of a larger program.

If you’re doing a one-time conversion from Fahrenheit to Celsius, you’re probably going to pull out your pocket calculator or find a good conversion website and enter the necessary numbers. You can do that because either of those resources has the necessary interface to get the necessary input from you. If you’re including this calculation in a program, you need to design your own interface, process that user input from it and return the result to the user in some way. In the case of the pocket calculator or website, other programmers pondered these issues at some point and now it’s your turn.

Programming

From Algorithm to Code

April 27, 2016July 13, 2026 Andrew Comeau 4 Comments

In previous articles, I’ve talked about the importance of finding the right algorithm, or series of steps to follow, when coding a solution. Efficiency in terms of the amount of memory used and the amount of time taken by the operation are key factors for the program. Sometimes an appropriate algorithm is already available and in wide use and it’s just up to the programmer to turn it into code. There’s always the option of running to StackOverflow and grabbing some code but that does nothing to further your talent.

Read More “From Algorithm to Code” »

Programming

Adding Passswords to Microsoft Access Switchboard Options

November 2, 2015July 13, 2026 Andrew Comeau 1 Comment

The Switchboard Manager in Microsoft Access makes it easy to create a system of menus that will enable your users to navigate through your application. It also relieves you of the need to manage multiple menu forms and macro calls.

Microsoft Access switchboard form — Figure 1 – Example Access Switchboard

Sometimes, however, you might want to keep all but a few users out of specific areas, even if it’s just a password to discourage the curious. This is one thing the Switchboard Manager doesn’t offer and I’d like to show you one method for achieving this here. I want to stress that this method is not truly secure. On it’s own, it won’t prevent a user from hitting F11 and browsing through the database. A power user who wants to see those areas could defeat this method pretty quickly. It will keep the merely curious and inexperienced users out, however, and could be combined with other measures to add more security.

How-to, Microsoft Access, Programming

Fixing the Orange (or Red) Status Icon in WampServer

March 12, 2015July 13, 2026 Andrew Comeau 24 Comments

As part of my latest project, I decided to try out WampServer, the Windows development environment for developing web applications with Apache web server, MySQL database and PHP scripting (Windows, Apache, MySQL, PHP – WAMP). Packages like WampServer and EasyPHP are simplified ways to create a testing environment on your PC without spending a lot of time downloading, installing and configuring the individual components. The package also includes utilities such as PHPMyAdmin and SQLBuddy for managing your MySQL databases and writing SQL queries. The software is available in 32- and 64-bit versions and the installation is pretty straightforward.

How-to, Programming, Software

Let’s Teach Kids to Code

January 28, 2015January 2, 2026 Andrew Comeau

Previously published on OcalaITPros.com. “So he was learning many different core principles of design – about how to experiment with new ideas, how to take complex ideas and break them down into simpler parts, how to collaborate with other people on your projects, about how to find and fix bugs when things go wrong, how…

Read More “Let’s Teach Kids to Code” »

Programming

What is Recursive Programming?

January 26, 2015February 14, 2023 Andrew Comeau

When writing programs, it’s often necessary to perform repeating operations on collections of items such as customer orders or invoices. Often, you can just iterate through the collection or count the items to determine how many times to perform the operation. When working with a hierarchy of items such as a directory structure where you have an unknown and varying number of levels under each branch, it’s a different story. For this, the typical method is to use recursive programming, often just called recursion. This is a method in which one routine is designed to analyze the items on one level of the hierarchy, look for any sublevels and then call itself to analyze each sublevel. Each time the routine calls itself, it creates another instance of itself that works independently until it’s finished and then returns to the instance that called it.

Programming

Using Visual Studio to Manage Your Data

December 23, 2014April 23, 2024 Andrew Comeau

(This article was updated in August 2018 for use with Visual Studio 2017.)

Moving Beyond Microsoft Access

I’ve written a lot about Microsoft Access over the years and still believe it’s a great training ground for people who want to learn to design database applications. Its user-friendly interface provides an easy learning curve and introduction to the basics of relational databases, data entry forms and report design. If you want to get serious about programming, however, it’s important to expand your skillset beyond Access with tools that are in demand by potential employers and customers.

One of these tools is Microsoft Visual Studio, the development suite that provides access to the .NET family of languages including C# and VB.NET. With Visual Studio, you can create a variety of professional applications from Windows form applications to websites powered by ASP.NET. While Microsoft Access provides some impressive tools for the office power user and even some full-time programmers, Visual Studio is the next step up the development ladder. It enables professional programmers to design any type of solution without being tied to a Microsoft Office installation and without the limitations of the Windows desktop. A couple quick searches of sites like CareerBuilder.com will show you the kind of jobs and salaries that knowledge of Visual Studio can lead to as opposed to Microsoft Access.

Microsoft Access, Programming

Long Term Strategies for a Software Development Career

April 17, 2014September 21, 2025 Andrew Comeau

Part of the Getting Started in Software Development series. Reviewed – July 2023

In the last chapter, I talked about some of the current options when it comes to getting started in the programming field. I mentioned several development tools that you can get familiar with to decide what path you want to take as a software developer but getting started is only half the battle. As I said, the field is constantly changing and with so much evolving technology, it can be hard to keep up even if you’re working with it every day.

When planning a career, there’s also a desire to have some idea of what things will look like five years down the road and where you should be in relation to them. That’s harder to do in the I.T. world but there are some things that you can plan on and overall strategies that you can use to develop a solid foundation of knowledge.

Articles, Careers, Programming

What You Should Know About Programming Technologies

April 17, 2014July 29, 2023 Andrew Comeau

Part of the Getting Started in Software Development series. Reviewed – July 2023

So far, I’ve given you some general ideas of what it takes to start and maintain a career in software development but you’re probably still wanting some direction as to the actual first steps of learning how to program. In this chapter, I’ll give you a sampling of the options available. Pay close attention to the links sprinkled throughout for additional information.

There are a lot of options out there because there are a lot of different computer languages and types of devices to program. The type of device for which you’re creating an application and the operating system it uses is sometimes called the platform. For example, if you’re programming Windows applications for the PC, then you’d be writing for the Windows platform. The Android OS that powers smartphones and tablets would be a separate platform and would require different programming tools. Some people might get confused by the term platform so it’s easiest just to say “I write Windows programs.” or “I create websites.”. You’ll find that one of the challenges of a programming career is communicating ideas to non-programmers.

Articles, Careers, Programming