What kind of database to use depends mostly on the ammount of records you want to handle. For small to med-sized apps MySQL or SqLite are fine. If you don't need an SQL-able database you can alternatively use YAML or XML based flatfiles.

neniro

You might want to look at building something with Class::DBI.

Thinking about different ways to do it. It's really too bad that you can't use iTunes just as a database system for this by itself.

Personally, that has solved all of my music database needs (and then some).

Liz

I have used flat file systems in the past, but find they usually require a bit more code overhead than MySQL. Because it is so readily available, I now use MySQL for even the most simple of tasks. It's fast, easy and can handle anything I throw at it.

You will want to use a RDBMS. MySQL, since you have it, sounds like a good choice.

As for wanting to deal with this before inputting data ... that's a straw man. It is the matter of a few minutes to take your old reading routine and your new writing routine and hook them together. Data and algorithms should be dealt with separately.

Just for the sake of completeness I'll also suggest that you consider using PostgreSQL which, like MySQL is Open Source and free software. For using MySQL I found it very helpful to have Paul Dubois' book "MySQL" handy as a reference, and to help get you through the initial learning curve with MySQL setup and security issues.

Note that no matter what database you decide to use, consider strongly using Perl DBI (Database Independent Interface) as the perl interface to the database. Assuming you decide to go with MySQL, you would

   - install MySQL and get it working with the "mysql"
     client, and then
   - download and install the perl "DBI" module
   - read the DBI perldocs by doing "perldoc DBI" at a
     command prompt
   - download and install DBD::mysql
   - read the DBD::mysql perldocs by doing "perldoc DBD::mysql"
     at a command prompt

That should get you started.

HTH.

You might consider looking into Maypole -- Simon Cozens framework for web-based, database-driven applications. There's a nice article Rapid Web Applications Development with Maypole and Part Two on perl.com that shows how quickly a simple application (in this case a e-commerce site and shopping cart) can be built.