Online database creators?

[homeforsummer]

Now before I start: I know such a thing exists. I've gone to google, typed in "free online database" and a billion and one entries pop up.

However, it doesn't really tell me what they're like and I don't want to sign up to anything until I know whether it'll offer exactly what I'm after, so I'm asking here first to see if anyone has any experience with them.

Basically, what I want to do is build a database of road-tests from the hundreds upon hundreds of car magazines I have knocking about the house.

On a very basic level, I want to be able to enter the make, model, engine, trim level and magazine/issue into the database, and then have that as searchable categories to allow me to find it amongst the thousands of other vehicles in the database.

A good example of how I'd like the output can be found on something like eBay, or Autotrader. You can select a manufacturer, and it'll list all the cars for that manufacturer. Alternatively, you can select an engine size, like 2.0 for example, and it'll list all the 2.0-litre cars.

In mine, you'd be doing this, or you could narrow the search by selecting "Autocar", or "Classic Cars Monthly", or whatever other magazine from a drop-down box, and then with another drop-down box you could narrow the search further. By make, for example, or by type of car. If I'm selecting by car, the database could tell me if there are multiple road tests, and list all the magazines that car is featured in.

Basically, I want to narrow it down so it allows me to see what magazine I need to pick off the shelf when I want to find a particular car. At the moment, if I want to find a road test of a particular car, I have to sit down and leaf through hundreds of magazines. What I want to do is plug in a few criteria and be given an output: Bing, Autocar, December 12th 1997. Something like that.

If you don't get it, just go to eBay Motors and pick and choose different parameters - that sort of thing is what I'm after.

I'd prefer online, because then other people can also use it if they want - could be handy for people wanting to find a particular test before they go hunting on eBay for an old magazine or something.

So...

Is that possible? Anyone know any decent online database builders that could do all the above?

Many thanks

 

[Pako]

Are you looking for a third party service or wanting to have your own website for this information?

If you are building your own website with this type of functionality, PHP can be used for the HTML output and MySQL can be used for the database.

Basically MySQL would store the data into tables that reside in the database. PHP coding can help you get the data into the database, manipulate the data, and display the data to your preference. For example, GTPlanet is Powered by vBulletin but it is using PHP for the user interface (the website) and a MySQL database to store the data. Just look at the URL above "https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php". Notice it's file extension is PHP?

PHP/MySQL is one of many solutions available.

Are we headed in the right direction with your need or did you have something else in mind?

 

[homeforsummer]

I'm after something fairly simple really, I've no intentions to turn it into anything too big.

I suppose I'm looking for the online database equivalent of one of those free website building tools, where I've got a simple input system into which I can plug my data, and a choice of outputs that allows me/other users to select from a bunch of criteria to narrow down what I'm/they're looking for.

I'm somewhere between beginner and amateur when it comes to technical stuff. I've built databases in Access before back in school, but I'm essentially looking for a relatively lazy option for this since I don't have the time to get too involved in it!

 

[Pako]

Sorry, don't know if any easy creator apps that would give you that kind of customization. Seems like it would be easy enough. Zoho keeps showing up in Google searches, have you checked them out?

Online Form & Online Database

Seems it's free, online, and maybe just what you are looking for.

 

[Pako]

I made this in literally minutes: https://creator.zoho.com/pakorwt/road-and-track-example/#View:Input_Form_Example_View

Be sure to look at the column to the left where you can select the input form.

I think this should work out nicely for you. You can keep your application private or share it with groups, individuals or completely public.

 

[homeforsummer]

Thanks Pako, I'm on the phone at the mo so can't check it out, but I'll have a look later and report back 👍

 

[Pako]

Not a problem. Check it out. It's pretty simple drag and drop interface. If you're familiar with Access then this should be a walk in the park. Very simple interface with some pretty powerful reporting, filtering, and data management for a free service.

Hope it works out for you.

 

[BobK]

I was going to say that it would be fairly easy to do, but only if already well-versed in MySQL or similar, and PHP or similar. I have an application to help keep track of my music collection that possibly would need little more than changing the names of some fields to adapt it for your use (and not even that, if you can remember that "album artist" is the horsepower field ).

But I looked at that thing that Pako threw together, and I'm impressed! That looks much, much easier to get up and running!

 

[Pako]

Hey BobK! In all honesty, it took me longer to get my account registered and logged in then it took to make the form and start inputing data.

The drawback for some is that you are limited to the total number of records for the free accounts and you are cannot host on your own server (which could be positive thing for some).

Don't know if you guys noticed, but there is also a data import process that can create forms based on Excel or even MSAccess data. Pretty amazing utility really.