Hi,

> my apologies for this, but I'm new to firebird in general, and need
> some basic questions answered that I can't seem to find in the docs
> or anywhere.
>
> Explain to me the difference between a .gdb, and a .fdb
> please.

Different extension.

> I'm using ems's IBManager to manage, create my new firebase
> databases.
> It has a "Bring Online" option for the database files.

True.

> What I currently don't understand is the relationship between the
> server and the database files, more specifically: how the
> server "knows" the db files are there, and makes them accessible.

It doesn't. When you connect, you tell the server where to
find your database file.

With Firebird 1.5, you can also link an alias to a file specification
via the aliasses.conf server side text-file.

> When I hit bring online, in EMS IBManager, what essentially is that
> doing?

You can "shutdown" a database, which means that it's marked
as "accessible by SYSDBA and 'database owner' only". Bringing
a database online is the opposite.

> If I distribute my firbird database to someone else, how would they
> bring their copy "online" if all they had was a copy of the firebird
> server, and no GUI like EMS IBManager?

Firebird comes with a set of command line tools that you can
use to do backups, database checking and that sort of stuff.

With regards,

Martijn Tonies
Database Workbench - developer tool for InterBase, Firebird, MySQL & MS SQL
Server.
Upscene Productions
http://www.upscene.com