First, this very long newbie question is out of context in this list.
This is the developers' list for Java connectivity to InterBase. This is
people building platform tools.

The main technical support list for InterBase is interbase@.... To
join that list, go to the Mer Systems web site at
http://www.mers.com It's not a JBuilder list, though, so if you are a
JBuilder newbie, you'll need to join one of the Borland newsgroups.

A good place to start finding out what you need to know would be tokey-
search the Interbase archives at the Mers site.

I will give you brief answers to some of your questions but I'm not a Java
developer. On the Mers list you will find others who are.

Helen

At 01:31 PM 05-08-00 +0100, you wrote:

>Hi,
>
>I don't know whether this is the right place for these questions, but at the
>moment I am sinking in confusion over the respective roles,
>interdependencies, versions and support for the products I have listed in
>the subject header.
>
>My starting point is that I have no knowledge or experience of any of these
>(or other) Borland/Inprise products. I am seeking to learn how to use
>JBuilder to develop web-enabled java applications which will interact with a
>database. The logical choice seems to be InterBase, as it is another
>Borland product complimenting JBuilder.

Borland.java newsgroups for JBuilder, interbase@... for interbase.

>I have installed a copy of the full working version of JBuilder2
>Professional, from a magazine cover CD.
>(Note: I looked at downloading JBuilder3.5, but saw that the free Foundation
>version has no database support in its features list - which means that it
>is of no use to me, since I want to use database i/o in just about
>everything I develop)
>
>I am running the software on a Pentium III 550 MHz CPU, with 256 MB RAM
>under Win98 SE.
>
>The documentation in JBuilder2 informs me that I need InterBase Server in
>order to connect to a database.

You need InterBase Server in order to **run** the database server. You
need an Interbase client through which to connect to the server and the
database. InterClient is a Java client interface.

>I have found an upgrade to this on the web, but I can't find a full install
>version - on either the web or on the JBuilder2 CD. (Note, the CD contains
>JBuilder2 and InterBase Server v5.1.1)

Ask on the jbuilder newsgroups - it's not an interbase question.
Borland ships **local server** versions of IB allowing up to 4 connections
to a server installed on your local disk. You are not permitted to deploy
it. InterBase 5.x is not open source but you will find developer licenses
somewhere amongst the files installed with InterBase. Alternative, the
string 'eval' and 'eval' in both the license key and serial number will
work for an evaluation period.

>I tried to install IB Server5.1.1 from the CD, but could not progress past
>the licence key screen - the licensing details which were provided for the
>JBuilder2 pack are not valid for the IB Server package ?!?!? (Needless to
>say, the magazine company have ignored my repeated requests for the correct
>licence key for their IB Server freebie)

look for a file named ib_license.ib. That contains the developer license
key and serial number.

>So I have downloaded and installed
>http://inprise-heva.www.conxion.com/InterBase_WI-V6.0-server.ZIP .
>But there is also another download called "InterClient" which is available
>from http://inprise-heva.www.conxion.com/IC160001WinJRE12.exe
>Moving around the Inprise/Borland site I find that I "should" have the
>InterClient as well as the InterBase Server. Confusingly, the InterClient
>product also has a feature called "InterServer" !!!

InterClient is the Java client through which you will connect your Java
application. InterServer is for building server applications in Java. (it
doesn't sound as if you are quite ready to start doing that).

>To my surprise, Borland/Inprise support (in the UK) don't know much about
>these products, and also don't know whether or not they still support
>InterBase. Their issue being that the InterBase V6 is "open source", so
>therefore it's no longer Borland's proprietary product to support.
>Instead, I was given the www.interbase2000.org web site as a point of
>contact for assistance.

If you go to the Lists page at that site, you will see a description of
mail lists and newsgroups on the various aspects of
InterBase. IBDI@egroups.com has folk who can help with the release 6
installations.

>Q1. My first question is what are the respective roles/functions served by
>"InterBase Server" and "InterClient" ?
>Q2. Next, is the "InterServer" part of "InterClient" the same as, or
>anything to do with "InterBase Server" ? Also, should I start it? Do I
>need it? Etc...
>Q3. Is a PC with Pentium III 550 MHz CPU, & 256 MB RAM, running under Win98
>SE ok for these products?
>Q4. Who *does* support InterBase V6 (for installation, usability and
>technical questions) ???

You can buy support. You can get free help from the mers list. Try to ask
short questions, only two or three at a time. We are all volunteers.

>At the moment, I have installed only "InterBase Server".
>
>This brings me to yet another Borland product. In addition, looking at the
>JBuilder2 help text, for information on connecting to a database, another
>Borland product is mentioned: "Borland Database Engine". I can find no
>trace of this product on the CD, and on the web there is only an upgrade
>program (ftp://ftpc.inprise.com/pub/bde/devsupport/updates/bde511en.exe ).
>
>So more questions:-
>
>Q5. What is "Borland Database Engine"? How does it fit in with JBuilder2,
>InterBase Server, InterClient and InterServer?

Ask about this on the Borland newsgroups. It's not applicable to InterBase 6.

>Q6. Do I need it to access typical databases (MS-Access, IBM-DB2, ODBC
>compatible etc.)?

Long question - you need to research it. Go to the Knowledgebase on the
Borland site. It is not an Interbase question.

>Q7. If yes (to Q6), where/how do I get it?

You can download it from the Borland site.

>Finally, having installed InterBase Server, I thought I would look at the
>sample databases provided: e.g. employee.gdb.
>
>This is where I have found nothing works anyway !!!
>When I register the local server, I have to use the user id SYSDBA with the
>password "masterkey". Once done, I then register the database. This is
>where nothing seems to work.
>
>Q8. Why is the user SYSDBA with password "masterkey"? (Also how do I
>change password? Change user to register the database?)
>
>Q9. When I attempt to register a database with a user id and password, I
>get an error: "Error connecting to the requested database" with detail of
>"DPB Constant (0) is unknown" (now that really is a meaningful and helpful
>diagnostic !!) What is the fix for this error?

You need an older version of the Windows client program. Look this bug up
in the mers search.

>Q10. When I attempt to register a database, in addition to the user id and
>password, I am also asked for the "Role" - what is this? - how is it
>sed? - what values are allowed?

Read the manuals.

>Q11. When I attempt to connect to *any* database I also get the error in Q9
>above. How to I resolve this instance of the error?
>
>
>
>
>Any and all help on some or all of these questions will be most appreciated.
>
>But, PLEASE, remember that I have *no* prior knowledge of any of these
>products, and I also don't have any experience of Windows/visual environment
>programming tools in general - all my IT experience has been in a non-PC
>environment. So, if you tell me to do something, you need to tell me
>exactly how to do it as well.

*I* need to? You are starting out as a newbie with two major products on
an unfamiliar platform. Are you doing this the hard way, or what? Do what
everyone does - get the manuals for both and learn about them.

You will find InterBase manuals (6 vols, PDF, 10 megs) at
www.interbase.com. You can buy books about JBuilder.

Helen


http://www.interbase2000.org
___________________________________________________
"Ask not what your free, open-source database can do for you,
but what you can do for your free, open-source database."
(J.F.K.)