Let me address this by comparision with V6 implementation and QLI
V6 QLI
Change Column data type Alter domain x type modify global
field x as
(or size, etc) <new type> <new type using
GDML>
Available Change types where it Will allow any
change,
will always work. eg: even if it could
result
char(3) --> char(4) in data errors.
eg:
smallint --> integer long --> short and
data
column has large
values
Change column name alter table alter col Not available.
x name newname

V6, in the DSQL language, makes available most data column changes a
sensible
person would want to make. (eg: convert date to integer isn't
allowed,
convert date to character(30) is.). As it's available in DSQL, any
tool
can make use of it. If, for some reason, you really need to convert
an
integer column to a smallint, you can do it via direct modification of
the
system tables.

Note that InterBase has supported this dynamic datatype modification
for a LONG time. I started with version 3.0 -- and it was robust
technology then! It just hasn't supported it with SQL type syntax
until 6.0. (Note also that 6.0
follows the SQL (?draft?) standard - plus adds some abilities that
InterBase
can do that the standard didn't address).

There's nothing special about how QLI does it. It parses a command,
and then
directly makes the appropriate changes to the system tables.
I've written SQL stored procedures that handle "most" situations.

(If you're interested, it's along the lines of)
create domain new_type as <whatever>
execute procedure alter_domain_type ('OLD_DOMAIN', 'NEW_TYPE');
drop domain new_type;

The SP mearly copies all the system table information for NEW_TYPE
into the
rows for OLD_DOMAIN.

Similar procedures were written for rename_domain, alter_column_type,
and
rename_column.

Dave


-----Original Message-----
From: Claudio Valderrama C. [mailto:cvalde@...]
Sent: Saturday, January 15, 2000 4:37 PM
To: IBDI@onelist.com
Subject: RE: [IBDI] QLI and ancient IB language


From: "Claudio Valderrama C." <cvalde@...>

I mean change metadata, I wasn't enough clear. Although I cannot try
at this
time, I guess one possible trick is renaming a column or change the
length
of a char(n)/varchar(n) column. Being more general, I would say
"change the
datatype of a column and other built-in tricks".

C.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Rob Schuff [mailto:robertsc@...]
> Sent: S�bado 15 de Enero de 2000 19:30
> To: IBDI@onelist.com
> Subject: Re: [IBDI] QLI and ancient IB language
>
>
> From: "Rob Schuff" <robertsc@...>
>
> do you mean to change columnnames when you say "change fields"?
> That would
> be useful for sure.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Claudio Valderrama C. <cvalde@...>
> To: <IBDI@onelist.com>
> Sent: Saturday, January 15, 2000 4:23 PM
> Subject: RE: [IBDI] QLI and ancient IB language
>
>
> > From: "Claudio Valderrama C." <cvalde@...>
> >
> > If I'm not wrong, QLI for example has the ability to change
> table fields,
> an
> > ability that's not present in IB5.6 and that requires direct
> manipulation
> of
> > the system tables. It seems this IB feature was always present but
> unleashed
> > in "high level commands". I expected it to appear as a SQL
> command in IB6
> or
> > higher.
> >
> > C.
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Rob Schuff [mailto:robertsc@...]
> > > Sent: S�bado 15 de Enero de 2000 17:28
> > > To: IBDI@onelist.com
> > > Subject: Re: [IBDI] QLI and ancient IB language
> > >
> > >
> > > From: "Rob Schuff" <robertsc@...>
> > >
> > > My personal bias is to keep InterBase as standards compliant
> as possible
> > > unless there is some way cool thing that couldn't be done

without QLI.

> > > Frankly, I'm not do not know what QLI capabilities are. Perhaps

Ann

> could
> > > enlighten us poor souls.
> > >
> > > rob
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: Fabricio Araujo <fabricioa@...>
> > > To: <ibdI@onelist.com>
> > > Sent: Saturday, January 15, 2000 10:33 PM
> > > Subject: [IBDI] QLI and ancient IB language
> > >
> > >
> > > > From: "Fabricio Araujo" <fabricioa@...>
> > > >
> > > > Hi,
> > > >
> > > > When IB lied in Inprise's hand, it stopped support to
> > > > the ancient language which QLI is based.
> > > > Since (I guess) this utility still have some unleashed

habilities,

> what
> > > > will be the directive: transport its capacities to SQL

language

> (which,
> > > > in that case, will be host for non-standard SQL extensions) or

leave

> it
> > > > untouched or the third option (abandon it rip it out from all
> > > versions of
> > > > Interbase)?
> > > >
> > > > []s Fabricio
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
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