--- In firebird-support@yahoogroups.com, Milan Babuskov <milanb@...> wrote:

> This is in fact a great *feature* of Firebird, because it allows users
> with old versions of applications (applications that assume old database
> structure) to keep working while you upgrade the database structure.
> Once you're done, users can happily close their old applications and
> start new ones without breaking anything.

Yes... except that for our own connection, it's broken. (And other user - as mentioned in my other post - are kicked off if necessary.)
Actually, the way our system works, software updates for our system are also stored in the database, so if an old client connects, they automatically extract updates and upgrade themselves, so they pretty much stay in sync with changes (unless they are still running the app when the meta data changes occur and they are not kicked off....) :-)

> The only thing important is to keep the way all this works on your mind
> while you alter the database structure.

Yes that's great thanks... really good to understand whats going on here, thanks for the tips.

Phil