--- In firebird-support@yahoogroups.com, Richard Wesley
<hawkfish@...> wrote:

>
> Thanks for the reply.
>
> On Jun 7, 2007, at 16:28, Adam wrote:
>
> > --- In firebird-support@yahoogroups.com, Richard Wesley

<hawkfish@>

> > wrote:
> >>
> >> Is there an API (service?) for enumerating the names of the

databases

> >> listed in the aliases.conf file?
> >
> > No.
> >
> > If there was, I for one would hope it would be disabled by

default.

> > There is a real security concern to publicise the database list.
>
> Yeah, I had a feeling that was going to be the answer. Some
> databases (e.g. SQL Server and MySQL) publish this list via ODBC;
> others (e.g. Postgres, Firebird) view it as a security risk.
> Postgres actually uses the database name as one of the

authentication

> parameters.
>
> > I would like to use it to drive a
> >> remote connection GUI. I have heard rumours, but I can't find
> >> anything.
> >
> > It would be trivial to write one yourself.
>
> Tableau is a db client, so I am not in a position to mess with
> customer servers.

Heh. Actually, you don't really need to write anything. All you
have to do is get them to change firebird.conf:

ExternalFileAccess = Restrict C:\Program Files\Firebird\Firebird_2_0

Then do this:

CREATE TABLE aliases
external 'c:\program files\firebird\firebird_2_0\aliases.conf'
(
txt char(1)
);

'Select * from aliases' will get you the contents of the aliases file
and also help you understand why the ExternalFileAccess directive is
a really good idea. Of course you have to reassemble the lines, but
that's trivial.

There may be a better thing to use than char(1), but Firebird doesn't
seem to be able to get over the non-fixed-length issues when you use
a value > 1.

Michael D. Spence
Mockingbird Data Systems, Inc.
(Who's been looking forward to Friday all week.)