> I tried IBExpert Personal Edition, placing a copy of the FBEMBED.DLL=20=20
> in the same directory and specifying it, but the application refused=20=20
> to open the database, even when it was the only one attempting to do=20=20
> so and after I set the charset and dialect.
>

Do it the other way around:
Place a copy of IBExpert into the directory with your database and the embedded dll and run this
copy of IBE.
Then register the database and it will work just ok.

Florian