--- In firebird-support@yahoogroups.com, "jrodenhi" <jack@r...> wrote:

> A while back, I asked about FIRST/SKIP in a subselect and found out
> that it is a known bug in Firebird.
>
> Is there a listing of known bugs in Firebird 1.5? It's such a
> dynamite engine that I expect that it will do everything it says it
> will do and it would be better not to get caught by something that
> doesn't work yet.

There is tracker at http://sourceforge.net/projects/firebird ,
though rather garbaged by persons who register bugs in own programs :)
or ask support questions. I'm not absolutly sure all bugs are
registered, usual procedure is to discuss preliminary possible bug at
firebird-devel list to register real FB bugs, not access components or
author's of message. Sometimes people forget to register if during
discussion somebody of engine developers says - OK, I'll fix it soon.

> Also, I'm a little curious about the different flavors of SQL in
> Firebird. There seems to be SQL, PSQL, sometimes DSQL and sometimes
> ISQL. Why not just one version?

Embedded SQL - interface for usage in C client programs, wrapper on
API to send SQL statements to server and get results, mainly was used
in pre-components era together with GPRE preprocessor. Procedures(al?)
SQL - recently created term, to shorten used in IB docs "Stored
procedures and triggers language". I'm not quite sure about Dynamic
and Interactive, forgot difference - using IB/FB since 1996 and know
on reflex level what I must use in every case :)

> I really like Firebird, but I wonder
> why I can't DECLARE a variable in a script.
> Or better, use the
> terrific FOR SELECT INTO DO syntax in a script I type into the
> Interactive SQL window in IBOConsole.

Script is parsed by tool, not engine, and DDL/DML commands are
extracted to send subsequentally to server. You can write own scripter
which can use script-level variables and macros, pre-process and send
to server valid statements. Scripter is just a kind of client-side
application. Note some tools (I know for sure about IBExpert only) can
pre-pocess own, extended script formats, but this formats is not fully
compatible with general isql tool. I use own scripter inside remote
applications as part of own replication process to don't rely on
remote user's skill when I need modify metadata...

Best regards,
Alexander.