Martijn,

> A client (process) never accesses a database directly. It tells the server
> process
> (fbserver.exe for Windows) where to find the database and let's the server
> process access the file. Firebird (the server) needs it's databases on a
> local
> drive - that is, local to the server process. Firebird CANNOT access a
> database file that's on a remote [drive]/[share]/[whatever via the

network].

>
> With a client/server install, you have one main server that runs the
> Firebird
> server process - clients connect to a database via the server process.
>

... perfect, this is how I have understood the whole thing!

> As you have found out, Firebird cannot use the UNC path, because it
> isn't a true local to a database file.

... unfortunately, this is true!

> I wonder why you need a local database in the first place - can you

explain

> a bit more? Personally, I would use a remote database only, unless the
> situation tells me differently.

... on a client I perform fast instrument read/write access operations and
read large amounts of data that I have to buffer before saving an extract of
that data into the global database. I do this by buffering the data into the
local database to make sure that I do not slow down other client processes
that try to access the global database server on a routinely basis.
Furthermore, the local database is used to store the location to the global
database and setup information for the client application.

Thanks,
/Thomas