Thanks for the help and advice :)

I notice that you mention replication again. The IBO components that
I am using have a TIB_RPL and TIB_RPL_Meta, that are meant for
replication but looking at the online help i thought it was saying
that these were for replicating the database structure. I think you
mentioned the briefcase model earlier that also sounded useful. Are
they basically the same thing?

My delphi app uses a firbird db to store data. In using my app the
users add and amend records but not the same records. Due to the
nature of the records it is impossible for my users to add/amend the
same record. The users will have my app and its associated firebird
db installed on their LAN at work and on their home machines. Thus my
app needs to give the users the ability to easily keep both databases
ie the one at work and the one at home, up-to-date.

One of my concerns was that the size of the file to be transfered be
kept as small as possible to allow for quick emailing or being
transfered via floppy disk. If I understand replication correctly, I
would have a third 'mobile' database that would be used to hold the
changed data that needed to be transfered between home and work
databases. Would this make the file size too large to be easily
transfered? Or would this be the best way of doing it,
notwithstanding the larger file size?

Any advice on the best way to proceed would be gratefully received!
Pete




--- In firebird-support@yahoogroups.com, Andy Goodchild
<goodieauk@y...> wrote:

> Daniel Rail wrote:
>
> > Hi,
> >
> > At August 27, 2004, 05:36, petesouthwest wrote:
> >
> > Then: thanks Andy, I had quiet stupidly
> > > overlooked the situation you describe,
>
> I did as well and learnt the hard way a long time ago in a former

life

> writing Paradox stuff, so you are not the only one.
> And please do not be afraid to ask questions we all learn from each
> other here, I certainly learn more than I help.
>
> > I think date check field is a very good idea. Also, you'd probably
> > need the original export file to compare with the actual database
> > record to see if there was a change since the last export. And, if
> > there was a change, which field(s) has changed, and does those

fields

> > match one or more fields of those changed by the user off-site.

If you

> > have some changed fields that match(between the off-site user's

data

> > and the server's), you'll need to do some conflict resolution,
> > basically which change overrides the other. And that might have

to be

> > up to the end-user to decide, by showing them when the server

data was

> > changed and what is the newest data.
>
> I agree with what Daniel says. And if it sounds like a lot of

extra

> work that you would rather not do take a look at the replication

engines

> out there as they will handle or help handle the conflict

resolution.

> Take a look too at IBLogManager as it might be able to help you.
> If you have any more questions please ask.
> Regards
> Andy