Question

I’m currently trying to develop a site which queries text information. I already have all the text files I need, but I’m completely new to databases, and have no idea where to start.

I know I need to parse the text files and insert them into a database, but most of the information I’ve found online point to having some sort of SQL server online. How would I parse the text files and insert them on to a database, and in return, port them to a website? A place to start would be great, I’m totally lost ):

I’m somewhat experienced in Java and Python, and familiar with CSS/HTML.

Answer 1

Is this a big job (lots of data) or are you just new to it?

• Get MySQL Workbench
• Learn SQL, create some tables, choose good primary keys.
• Learn about JDBC and prepared statements

If you have a lot of data consider manipulating your files to do a LOAD DATA INFILE or if you really have lot manipulation consider Jasper/Talend ETL, but I would guess that is overkill.

---

After reading your comments I’ve drafted some scripts.

Login with mysql client or with workbench

CREATE DATABASE IF NOT EXISTS `test`;
USE test;

Try these

DROP TABLE IF EXISTS `test`.`user`;
CREATE TABLE `test`.`user` (
  `userid` INT NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT   ,
  `firstname` VARCHAR(45) NOT NULL ,
  `lastname` VARCHAR(45) NOT NULL ,
  `jobdescription` TEXT NULL,
  `childhooddescription` TEXT NULL,
  PRIMARY KEY (`userid`)
);


DROP TABLE IF EXISTS `test`.`tempuser`;
CREATE  TABLE `test`.`tempuser` (
  `fullname` VARCHAR(90) NOT NULL,
  PRIMARY KEY (`fullname`)
);

-- Examples you can use
-- INSERT INTO `test`.`user` (`firstname`,`lastname`) VALUES ("bob","jones");
-- INSERT INTO `test`.`tempuser` (`fullname`) VALUES ("JOHN DOE");

INSERT INTO `test`.`user`(
  `firstname`,
  `lastname`
)
SELECT
  SUBSTRING_INDEX(SUBSTRING_INDEX(fullname, ' ', 1), ' ', -1) AS firstname,
  SUBSTRING_INDEX(SUBSTRING_INDEX(fullname, ' ', 2), ' ', -1) AS lastname
FROM
  tempuser;


SELECT * FROM `user`;

DROP TABLE IF EXISTS `tempuser`;

Then these

DROP TABLE IF EXISTS `test`.`tempjop`;
CREATE  TABLE `test`.`tempjop` (
  `fullname` VARCHAR(45) NOT NULL,
  `description` TEXT NOT NULL
);

-- Example
-- INSERT INTO `test`.`tempjop` (`fullname`, `description`) VALUES ("JOHN DOE", "John is a programmer");


LOAD DATA INFILE 'C:/Temp/Job.txt' INTO TABLE tempjop
     FIELDS
         TERMINATED BY ':' OPTIONALLY ENCLOSED BY '"'
     LINES
         TERMINATED BY '\r\n';

SELECT
    *
FROM
    `tempjop`
;

UPDATE
    `user` AS U, 
    `tempjop` AS J
SET
    U.jobdescription = J.description
WHERE
    J.fullname = CONCAT(CONCAT(U.firstname, ' '), U.lastname)
    -- If you need first names only like 'MARY' uncomment this
    -- OR J.fullname = U.firstname;
;

SELECT * FROM `user`;

DROP TABLE IF EXISTS `tempjop`;

I haven’t tested all that but hopefully it points you in the right direction.

Good luck.