Need Tech Help: how to post searchable database on this forum

[Pete]

For quite a while, we've wanted to add a comprehensive, searchable development database to the site that would feature as many local projects as possible, along with key information such as start/finish date, total cost, owner, architect, square footage, key links, latest news, link to discussion thread, etc.

Ideally, it could be sorted and summarized by any of the fields; such as all housing projects in downtown either completed or started construction in the last five years.

We will also have a handful of people administering the data, each responsible for updating certain projects.

It doesn't have to be done within vBulletin... Could merely be HTML or similar and on a separate section of the site.


Would greatly appreciate any feedback/help on this. Once established, the database would be unique and invaluable.

TIA.

[Martin]

i'm guessing you've got some data already in an excel spreadsheet or something similar. essentially that will be translated into a database design that will sit on okctalk's existing mysql server. then, a php application can be written to display and administer that data. -M

[okcpulse]

For quite a while, we've wanted to add a comprehensive, searchable development database to the site that would feature as many local projects as possible, along with key information such as start/finish date, total cost, owner, architect, square footage, key links, latest news, link to discussion thread, etc.

Ideally, it could be sorted and summarized by any of the fields; such as all housing projects in downtown either completed or started construction in the last five years.

We will also have a handful of people administering the data, each responsible for updating certain projects.

It doesn't have to be done within vBulletin... Could merely be HTML or similar and on a separate section of the site.


Would greatly appreciate any feedback/help on this. Once established, the database would be unique and invaluable.

TIA.

I've already started something similar. http://www.okcpulse.net/dev_projects.aspx

It is a work in progress. Only I need more data, and I can expand by SQL table schema to accomodate more fields if needed. I plan to add more projects this weekend. I added the first last night. My next step is to add a datagrid view.

[Steve]

I've been working on a similar project for the past several months when it became apparent that Downtown OKC was no longer maintaining the skyline report ... it takes some work....

[okcpulse]

Man, if only we could all get together for lunch about this

[Pete]

We should definitely pool our efforts.

Spartan has done some work on this as well.

[workman45]

We definitely need all of you to link up. When you do put this up it's going to be awsome!

[Spartan]

We should definitely pool our efforts.

Spartan has done some work on this as well.

Back when I had OKMet.org still up, the development database I had used Joomla, which is free, but really any content management system would work. There are a lot of different ways it could be done.

I agree that the efforts should be pooled. I completely lost all my stuff since Oklahoma Metropolii has been dead for years. I know Shane Hampton still has his RezoneOKC.com up, which had a lot of potential. It's still a great resource, just an incomplete one. I think it's cool that Steve is working on one, and cool that pulse is also trying to do one. There needs to be a gentleman's agreement as to who will have the development portal up.

I like the idea of it being on OKC Talk because the Devon cam is on here, and unlike News OK, OKC Talk wouldn't charge people money to see it (although if Pete wants to put ads on it to support it, that might be a good idea). We don't need a million different incomplete databases, we just need one that we all use and that has a good team behind it updating it. If it is on News OK, I just see too many problems..they would be updating it a lot and have it down, they probably wouldn't allow multiple people to have admin access to update projects, they would probably make people pay a subscriber fee to it, and there's also the issue that I've long suspected there is a possibility that News OK is editing critical statements, no offense Steve. I think that these are all issues with News OK that should be avoided...

[okcpulse]

I totally agree Spartan.

Pete, is the PM Box not functioning? I sent you and Steve a PM a while back but have not received a reply. I am not suggesting you have to reply to me, but I just wanted to know its status so that if it is down, I can communicate with you using other means.