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MySQL PHP Code Generator Reviews
I was tired of the tedious coding of CRUD forms for the applications that I write, so I began to search for code generators (also called mungers) that, given a database schema, would automatically generate the PHP code to create, update, delete and search through the DB contents. Well, I couldn't find any sites that had a comprehensive review of the tools available, so I decided to write one myself. As almost all of these tools run on Windows, I give a note about the Apache/MySQL/PHP setup I use -- I used easyPHP. Compared to other LAMP/WAMP installers I have seen, easyPHP is the easiest to use, and includes only the packages I need: Apache, MySQL, PHP and PHPMyAdmin. One-click installation and one-click startup too!The verdict so far: The freeware MySQL PHP Generator is the program of choice for my routine uses.
Commercial PHP/MySQL Code Generators
- MySQL Data Wizard (Link) Cost: $59/99 Trial Version: Yes
Review:
Program is over 12 Mb in size. Unzipped into an empty directory and ran setup. Ran the program. Slick, professional interface. First step is to choose the database connection. After I successfully connect to my DB, I click `next`. The program errors out with "Access violation at address 403A6EF5 in module 'myphpgenerator.dll'. Write address 00000014." Cannot test any further.
Conclusion:- Dead in the water on a Gateway 9550, W2K SP4 MS Explorer 6
- AppGini (Link) Cost: $35 Trial Version: Partial
Review:
Downloaded from their website. Tried to install (Gateway 9550, W2K SP4 MS Explorer 6). Failed! (Error was: Unable to register DLL/OCX: Load library failed; code 1114) I clicked ignore and installation finished. Program apprears to start normally. You either have to enter your MySQL table info by hand, or use their mysql2appgini application (an additional $25) to do the entry for you automatically. There is no trial version of mysql2appgini, so I did not go any further with this product.
Conclusion:- Erroring out on installion is not a good sign.
- If I am going to try out the product, I expect to be able to use my own data/database for the demo.
- Without mysql2appgini, Appgini does not look to be very useful to me.
- dbQwikSite (Link) Cost: 0 to 179 Trial Version: Yes
Review:
Program is almost 12Mb in size (3Mb of this is example projects). Installed with no issues. Slick/professional user interface. First step is to connect to a database. I try to connect to my local mysql server. dbQwikSite can connect to my db server because it provides me with a pulldown to choose my db to work with (all of the dbs on the server are listed). However, when I go to finalize the connection, I get an error "The file was not found". Looks like I cannot connect without a DSN (oh, brother...) Once I set that up, however, the program worked flawlessly. This is a nice program with many customizable features. The free version may be all that some people need, as there are very few limitations placed on your choice of databases/tables. The files that are created are uniquely named, and so can be mingled together in the same directory. HTML output is css-based. There are many output styles to choose from. Output is very pleasantly done. This program makes a complete mini web application (complete with home page and inter-linking pages). Some additional work would be required to integrate the output into an existing website.
Conclusion:- Very solid program
- Free version may be all you need
- Attractive HTML output
- PHP MySQL Wizard (Link) Cost: $48
Review:
Downloaded from their website. Installed with no issues. Program starts with the selection of the MySQL server. Upon successfull connection the program lists your databases for you, so you just choose one from a list (nice!). Next, you select the table(s) that you want to work with. Next, you select the fields you want to work with. (Demo version forces the selection of only the first four fields.) Next, you select whether the user can add, edit, delete, view or search records. Some server-side validation is offered (you choose the parameters). Lookup columns are also offered (controls how foreign keys are displayed). Next comes security options: You can set password protection for the script here (Can be set to your mysql connection setting, or anything else that you want.) To output the files, you select (or create a new) a directory and PHP MySQL Wizard fills it with your new PHP scripts (17 scripts in all to perform all the functions).
Conclusion:- Easy to use
- Useful out of the box
- HTML layouts produced are functional, not frilly.
- PHPMaker (Link) Cost: 99.95 Trial: 30 Days
Review:
Installation went smoothly. Program size is 8Mb. Interface is spartan. Program is fully functional for 1 month after installation. First step is to connect to db server. Allows custom views that are defined by an SQL statement. The output of this program could be easily integrated into an existing website (output even include empty header and footer files). Good data validation options. Allows use of lookup tables.
Conclusion:- Appears to be a capable program
- PHPRunner (Link) Cost: 299 Trial: 21 Days
Review:
Installed with no problems. Best look and feel of the bunch. Beware -- This program uses SMARTY, which means that the output is not a single file or two! Output of this program is cumbersome, and difficult to integrate with existing setups. It seems that this product's target audience is someone who does not know PHP at all. It produces a full 'website,' complete with logins and passwords (if you desire). The downside is that the code produced is difficult to 'tweak'.
Open/Free PHP/MySQL Code Generators
- phpMyEdit (Link) Cost: FREE
Review: This is a set of PHP scripts that generates a self-contained php script so you can do CRUD operations on a specific db table. Installs by uploading the scripts to your webspace. Easy to use -- just fill in a form specifying a MySQL username, password, db name and the table you want to work with. In one form submission, it produces a complete CRUD script for the table you chose. Output is very utilitarian, but useable nonetheless.
Conclusion:- Nice attempt -- eclipsed by MySQL PHP Generator (see below),
- phpCodeGenie (Link) Cost:
- MySQL PHP Generator (Link) Cost: FREE
Review: This was just released on 4/11/07. Totally Free! Looks like they took their full-service 'professional' version and stripped it for this free version. For most uses, however, this will do what you need. Professional look, clean output, lots of customizable options. Most importantly, this program outputs a script that is free-standing (it doesn't depend on any other libraries or 'include' files.) Only real minus it that there is no way to do a master-child lookup.
Conclusion:- For use with a single database table -- THIS IS THE ONE YOU WANT -- Very Nice