Hello everybody,

I have a strange problem on my hands: a customer of mine found out he
could connect to any database if he left the user and passwords fields
blank (using an app I wrote).

I asked him to check if the envvars ISC_USER and ISC_PASSWORD
existed. They didn't.

I know he works under Win2K so I asked if he logged into Windows as
Administrator. Yes, he did; if he logged in as another user, the free
access didn't work.

If he logs in as Aministrator, he can connect without user/pass using
my app, using isql and using a small testapp I wrote specifically for
this.

Now, in the Data Defintion Guide it says:

" Interbase also supports a SYSDBA user who has access to all database
" objects; furthermore, on platforms that support the concept of a
" superuser, or user with root or locksmith privileges, such a user
" also has access to all database objects.

(As a sideline: how about that locksmith hint? :-) Yes, I know they
don't mean that, but it's funny they chose that word here.)

The guide "Using Firebird" says the same, in a somewhat different
wording.

This would be an explanation, were it not that:

- I have two Win2K installations - same version as customer - running
Firebird 1.0 - same version as customer - as a service - just like
customer - and there is NO WAY that I can connect to ANY database
without specifying user/pass, even if I'm logged in as Administrator.
Not with my app, not with isql, not with the testapp, nothing.

- I have two Linux boxes running FB 1.0 SS, and there is NO WAY etc...
even if I log in as root.

During the process of trying-to-figure-out-what the customer even
mailed me his gds32.dll (byte for byte identical to mine), his
isc4.gdb (nothing weird there: one SYDBA and one user for my app),
his ibconfig (standard; just like mine) and a screenshot of his
envvars (like he said: no ISC_xxxx there).

So I'm left clueless.

I'd like to know:

- Is it or is it not standard/intended behavior in FB 1.0 that root and
Administrator can connect to databases without specifying user/pass ?

- If so: why doesn't it work at my place, on two Win2Ks and two Linuxes?

- If it is NOT standard behaviour, what might be going on at my
customer's place? Is there any Registry key FB/Win might be looking
at if user/pass are not specified?


Greetings,
Paul Vinkenoog