Alan,

>Page Size: Use 4096 - lower values would hardly ever be used since I can
>only imagine them being right for a very small database (few tables, few
>fields, small fields) stick to the 4096 and above.

Done, thanks for the tip.

>You are creating your database with the sysdba user... I would recommend
>creating another user and creating it with that other user.

I have questions about this. Please correct my understanding of it all.
Basically the server (ie Firebird) recognises particular users. (in my case
only 'SYSDBA' with password 'masterkey'). The server resides on my system.
Now, I create a database, that database is created with one user (can I
create more in the metadata?). To create a Firebird database, the user that
I specify in the metadata must be a valid user as recognised by the firebird
server.
So if I create an application that uses a firebird database, and that
database is created by user 'johnDoe', then the firebird server that is
running must recognise 'JohnDoe' or the application will fail??

Probably I am asking a huge question, I do not know.

> BTW - I hope you change the SYSDBA password too.

...Would like to say yes, but the answer is no.
So far I have really only used the IBAdmin tools to play with databases, not
the server itself. But I am guessing it is using IBAdmin (or some tool like
it) that I change the SYSDBA password.

What is stopping someone from taking a .gdb file (all hardware nasties
aside) and copying it onto there system, and then opening it? Nothing I am
thinking..
Is it important to ensure that the actual .gdb file is protected from users?

>Are you developing in Delphi?

Sort of, I am developing in Borland CBuilder.

>My primary keys are domains with not null default 0 i.e. a special domain
>called PKID keeps my metadata easier to read. so your table PKs don't need
>NOT NULL

Again, nice tip, thanks.

You may find it annoying to develop with foreign key constraints in place.
Many people install them during a later testing cycle.

>The C_ and D_ appear relatively redundant to me. Don;t forget that you

often need to

>prefix field names with

Again, point taken.

>Depending on what components you are using to connect with your DB there

may

>be other comments. IBX, IBO, FIBPlus, etc etc.

I have no idea, I have a list of controls on the Borland palette, but am
only just about to figure out which ones I should be using.

thanks,
Cassandra.