--- In firebird-support@yahoogroups.com, Jacqui Caren <

> Ah! This is because FB connects to the db file via a "reference" in the
> same manner as the directory listing.
>
> do a ls -l and look at the ref count, one for the filesystem (dir
> listing entry) and one extra for each FB server open File handle

Pardon my ignorance, but I don't fully understand what are your
saying. I did a ls -l at my running production classic 1.5 fb (at Red
Hat Ent. Linux ) and get this:-

[root@iedb1 db]# ls -l erp_am.fdb
-rwxr-xr-x 1 firebird firebird 5574180864 Jan 19 11:51 erp_am.fdb

Form my understanding the number prior to "firebird firebird" should
be 2 rite? So is my firebird is not referencing the db the way that
you just describe?