> To amplify Helen's answer, you can use the API call to connect to
> the database providing a parameter that will make the database read
> only.

Which is done e.g. in FSQL tool
http://www.volny.cz/iprenosil/interbase/
where you can use "sql" command

CONNECT 'MyDb' READ ONLY;

Ivan

>
> The call is isc_attach_database - you'll find examples in the sources -
> probably the file exe.cpp from gfix (which is called alice in the source
> tree) is the most useful.