> Everything is just fine -- well... almost! When using FB 2.1 command
> line tools I keep getting this error:

> 'can't format message 12:284 -- message system code -4'

> for any message it should display.

> this does not happen with FB 1.5 or 2.0 tools. only 2.1

Let me guess: you ran instreg for FB 1.5 last. The problem with
running two Firebirds on the same machine is that only one of them can
have the registry settings. Your machine is registered for FB 1.5
(probably because you installed that later or ran instreg later).

What happens is that the 2.1 command line tools look for the message
database, find the path in the registry, an find the old (1.5) message
database. Message 12:284 is a new message, that has been introduced
with FB 2.0 or 2.1 and so the old message database can not be used to
translate the message number into a verbose text.

AFAIK the situation will improve with Firebird 2.1. As Thomas has
pointed out, you can now use a commandline switch for the service name
and there will probably (hopefully) be provisions to resolve the
registry thing as well.

Best Regards

Stefan