On 25 Sep 2001, at 12:42, Svein Erling Tysvær wrote:

> > Can Delphi/IBO do the following ?
> >
> > (i) Check if anyone is using the Dbase file from Delphi, either obtain
> > API info, or try opening in shared mode. First method is preferred,
> > because the Clipper app opens file exclusively , I think. Advise user of
> > problem, etc.
>
> I normally just try to open the file (actually using the BDE), and gets an
> error if it cannot access it. So the answer is yes, Delphi can do that
> (most likely you can get the API info as well, but I don't know how to do
> that).

Because the users are remote, and I don't speak their language
(Philippines - Tagalog) , I need to keep remote installations as simple
as possible, therefore no BDE. Just a DElphi .exe and the smallest IB
install necessary to run IB "local".

Someone has suppled code to open the Dbase file exclusively, then I
can display an error msg, if it is in use. I don't think I will bother trying to
get the API info as well, that was a bit of an overkill.

> > (ii) Create an empty .GDB and 'pump' the Dbase file in. I do not want to
> > use BDE, ADO, ODBC, should only need to setup IB on users computer. If
> > there is no easy way to import the data, then writing some code to read
> > the flat Dbase file shouldn't be too hard, surely.
>
> Yes, this can be done provided Interbase is set up. You can use IBO to
> create your .gdb and pump data.

So part of IBO would give me the capability to import from Dbase ?

> > (iii) Filer and sort the IB table, and create a (simple) QuickReports
> > type report. Or do you add an index, I don't know ?
>
> No, IB tables are never sorted except by coinsidence! But you are adviced
> to use a primary key for all your tables and you can sort any output data
> set on any column.

Okay.

> > (iv) The data volume is not big, 200 K at the most.
>
> That's very small for IB (I think the biggest IB databases are
> approximately 200Gb).

Yes, the user may blink and miss the import <g>

> I guess you could experience a considerable loss of speed when changing to
> IB - dBase is a desktop database, whereas IB is client/server. Be prepared
> to change your way of thinking - you're in for a change similar to changing
> from rowing a boat to driving a ferry (and for distances < 100 meters you
> don't experience too many benefits from doing such a change).

Sounds like for the small IB databases, it could be slower. We need to
gradually educate the users to the values of client/server, so using IB
locally, is the first step. They don't have the resources to do it properly
first up (we are non profit).

Thanks,

Peter