> Hi all,
>
> I have been reading many posts everywhere related to the "unavailable
> database" and other error messages when running the application,
> connecting to Firebird database server.
>
> It is absurd that many people are having the similar problems as mine,
> which requires me to investigate (reading docs, forums, etc.) to find
> the correct solution as Firebird SQL does not have the good
> documentation on dealing with these "popular" problems.
>
> Anyway, there are several items when dealing with the installation on
> the "virgin" XP machine:
>
> 1) Application I developed comes with Firebird/Interbase driver (from
> Devart, formerly known as Core Lab - www.devart.com)
> 2) I use CodeGear RAD C++Builder 2007 Enterprise to develop the
> application.
> 3) I use InterBase/Firebird Development Studio from SQLLY
> (www.sqlly.com). Highly recommended for serious database design
> development.
> 4) Install FB 2.1 DB server on that virgin XP machine.
> 4) Main program folder is: c:\appserver
> 5) I copied the files as listed to c:\appserver:
>
> appserver.exe (main executable program)
> firebird.msg (I read somewhere that it's recommended)
> appserver.FDB (created by IB/FB Development Studio)
> fbclient.dll (the application driver must include that client library)
>
> I started the appserver.exe program, which the error message shows
> "unavailable database".
>
> My development system has both FB 2.1 server and Interbase 2007 Server
> running on it. The virgin XP machine does not have Interbase 2007
> Server running on it. The appserver.exe runs fine on my development
> system.
>
> Since the component comes with pop-up DB connection dialog, I enabled
> it as part of appserver.exe...and twiddle the settings, to see if I
> can make it run. It didn't work, as the error message shows:
>
>
> "unavailable database"
>
> based on the DB access settings:
> User: sysdba
> Pass: masterkey
> Server: localhost
> Protocol: TCP/IP
> Database: c:\appserver\appserver.FDB
>
>
> Then, I make the change to database (as posted from other forums),
> which the new error appears when the appserver.exe is accessing to
> appserver.FDB database:
>
> "unsupported on-disk structure for file appserver.FDB; Found 12.0,
> support 11.1"

You will get this on a virgin XP machine if you have not followed the
install instructions in the release notes about the runtime libraries.
Run the vccrt8_win32.msi install file
and also ensure that the icu*30.dll files are present in the app directory
(adjacent to the client lib).
Alan

>
> based on the DB access settings:
> User: sysdba
> Pass: masterkey
> Server: localhost
> Protocol: TCP/IP
> Database: localhost:c:\appserver\appserver.FDB
>
> This error message seems to related to the possible conflict of
> Interbase and Firebird DB server's SQL commands because the database
> was created on the development system. I expect that Firebird DB
> commands are not well-documented.
>
> Then, I installed Interbase DB Server 2008 Developer Edition on the
> "virgin" XP machine and registered it (as it's FREE).
>
> Then, the appserver.exe is now running fine.
>
> When I "stopped" the Interbase Server (using Interbase 2007 Manager
> (gds_db), the appserver.exe reports the same "unsupport on-disk
> structure" error as above. Then, I restart Interbase Server, the
> appserver.exe runs fine. So, it must the SQL command errors that I
> must find out that Firebird will not support.
>
> I'm not sure where to stand, as I'm not too crazy about using isql to
> create the database, but I use the appserver.sql with all lines
> created by the DB tool...and then upload it inside the isql command
> line, and learned something as shown here:
>
> C:\PROGRA~1\Firebird\FIREBI~2\bin>isql
> Use CONNECT or CREATE DATABASE to specify a database
> SQL> CREATE DATABASE 'appserver.fdb' user 'SYSDBA' password
> 'masterkey';
> SQL> INPUT 'appserver.sql';
> Statement failed, SQLCODE = -607
> Dynamic SQL Error
> -SQL error code = -607
> -Invalid command
> -Specified domain or source column BOOLEAN does not exist
> After line 22 in file ntsdb2.sql
> SQL> QUIT;
>
> Boolean is not supported by FB 2.1??? Gotcha...
>
> Then, I edit the appserver.sql to replace Boolean with Integer in
> Create Table section, and re-run sql input inside isql, which works
> perfectly.
>
> SQL> CONNECT 'APPSERVER.FDB' user 'SYSDBA' password 'masterkey';
> Database: 'APPSERVER.FDB', User: SYSDBA
> SQL> SHOW check accts;
> There are no check constraints on table ACCTS in this database
> SQL> show database;
> Database: APPSERVER.FDB
> Owner: SYSDBA
> PAGE_SIZE 4096
> Number of DB pages allocated = 196
> Sweep interval = 20000
> Forced Writes are ON
> Transaction - oldest = 17
> Transaction - oldest active = 18
> Transaction - oldest snapshot = 18
> Transaction - Next = 22
> ODS = 11.1
> Default Character set: NONE
> SQL> EXIT ;
>
> Then, I replaced boolean with integer in appserver.exe SQL query
> command routines, and now, it's working WITHOUT INTERBASE SERVER
> RUNNING on "virgin" XP machine.
>
> Hope this info is useful for all of us who are suffering from
> INTERBASE/Firebird mix-up nightmares.
>
> Robert