Hello (again),

for quite some weeks I am deperately seeking information
about gds32.dll (as far as I understand, this DLL *is* the
IB/FB client code on win32 systems).

I am trying to follow many IB and FB related lists,
and tried to look into the source tree at sourceforge
myself, but could not get enough docs there to
understand
- if the sources needed for building gds32.dll are
at all part of the open sources for IB/FB (all talk
in IB-build seems to relate to the server side)
- if there is any work in progress for the client
side aka gds32.dll.
- where and whom to contact to suggest features (for
the client). Neither IB-Priorities nor IB-Build
nor IB-Support seems to be the right place, as I had zero
response so far at several attempts.
- eventually, how to get started with compiling
gds32.dll myself. I hope I don't need to
have to go trough the entire rather complicated
IB/FB server build process (with an IB already
installed, MSVC AND a Borland C compiler etc.
as far as I understand).

I hope I don't annoy you with my repeated question,
but I really would be very grateful if I hadn't to figure
out all alone how to re-invent the wheel.
It still seems that my need for a change in gds32.dll is
a rather small one (see below) and I guess I would
also be able to implement it myself (if it turns out
that nobody is interested/working on it at this time),
given a more precise starting point.

What I would like to change in gds32.dll is the
dependency on the gds_db-entry in the services
file, and have it use the officially registered port
number 3050 as a default if the gds_db-services entry
is missing.

Why I need this, is simple: IB/FB would be really
great for INSTALLATION-FREE client operation,
except for this gds_db entry in etc/services
(which cannot be generated on reasonably secured
WinNT systems w/o Admin permissions).

Installation-free client operation is really important
for the type of app I am developing.
A compiled Delphi app.exe, lying in a published
directory beneath gds32.dll and interbase.msg,
must be working for any win32 client that
can execute-access this published directory.
It does so already, but only if the gds_db
entry on the client machine is there, and this
is not a default on Win clients.

Thanks for any response, hint, help etc. in advance!

Lukas Zeller (luz@...), Direktwahl +41 1 440 66 01
--
Synthesis AG, Rosengartenstr. 1a, 8037 Zürich
Tel: +41 1 440 66 00, Fax: +41 1 440 66 04
info@..., http://www.synthesis.ch