Don't use MySQL++ ! (was: Problem with mysql++ patch)

[Andreas Krueger]

Hi all!

To explain that before:
I only want to be helpful to Dennis,
not unfriendly or anything.

I very much appreciate that mySQL is free, so at the end
of the day we all who use it can't complain if it is not
(or badly) supported by a commercial company which is
primarily interested in earning money which I can't give.

I like (almost admire) MySQL, it works well!
An important brick in the wall of free software!


BUT
my criticism might help you to decide:
Go for a different solution than the MySQL++ API !!!

Why?

a) MySQL++ is not supported very well!
--------------------------------------
-> Just compare the questions on this list to the
   answers (quantitatively and qualitatively)
-> Most of my own question were not answered
   adequately - or the answer was just:
   "It is buggy on windows"
-> Only few people seem to use it (?),
   there are only very few people answering on this list.
-> not even the question
   "When might there be a new version of MySQL++ released?"
   was answered. Should be easy.


b) Others say: "use the C API"
------------------------------
-> As an answer to my questions here, I got sent
2 different large working C-API-to-C++-wrapper-packages
that were programmed by people who are disappointed
by MySQL++ and have written their own API classes
on the basis of the C API.
Not openly on this list, but they send me the code
directly and suggested that.
So I think I rather speak out loud now.


c) It doesn't seem to be sufficiently stable and tested
-------------------------------------------------------
-> Installing it and getting it running seems to be
   VERY difficult (not only but also on Windows):
   my experiences, yours and those of many others.
-> It works only with a small set of compilers - why?
   OK, it takes some time to learn plattform-independent C++,
   but up to now, I got ALL of my projects compiled on
   VisualC++, GCC and HP-Unix C++! More than 10000 lines of code.
-> e.g.: (At least on Windows) the SSQLS are said
   (by lazyfox who did the porting to VC++ 6)
   to be buggy or not-functioning.
   But that is not mentioned anywhere in the manual!


d) Save yourself the experience (?)
-----------------------------------
I did a lot of testing and trying while I was learning
MySQL++ (e.g. I did something I rarely do: I read the
whole MySQL++ manual(!) :-)
I programmed small routines to read and write data and so on.
I spent a lot of time on it - but I just don't trust it now.


So what I do now in my own project
- and what I recommend to you, Dennis,
is using the C API.


It works well, up to now I only got one strange behaviour
(access violation of the DLL) but I could solve it somehow.

I myself would rather like to use C++.
Object-orientation, all the template stuff and
the SSQLS would be handy and useful
- and some programming time and tedious stupid coding work.

But before I spend ages with the MySQL++ API on strange behaviour,
compiler problems and much more, I will rather go for something
that seems to work well as is tested and optimized in many
projects.

It is a pity!

my2cents,
Andreas


P.S.: My own motivation to write such a long letter?
I am currently coding with the C API, and it REALLY is
tedious and hard and un-funny, so somehow I still long for a
functioning C++ API.

Perhaps one day, the company might put some money into the C++ API
again?