> 1) If I just start up IB_SQL, go to the Connection tab, and click on the
> "Administer Users..." icon, I'm presented with the "User Account
> Management" screen. If I try to do anything, I get an error message
> that says, "DatabaseName cannot be blank". It only works if I fill in
> the database name before clicking the icon. Why is that? Isn't user
> account management completely distinct from database files? In the past
> (with Server Manager and IBConsole), there was (rightly) no need to
> connect to an actual database to administer users. All that was needed
> was to log into the server. Why is that different here?

There has to be a connection opened to a database on the
server in order to make these changes. I believe that
IBConsole opens a 'dummy' connection to isc4.gdb so that it
can edit isc4.gdb, which is where this information is held.
IB_SQL is somthing that has evolved, and while that
automatic connection would be nice nobody has implemented it
yet. Do you want to have a go?
I always have this set up for the customers database, so
they connect before using 'Users'. Bear in mind that they
need to log on as SYSDBA - in IBConsole, you have to logon
to get into the server, before you logon to a database, that
'pain' is missing from IB_SQL.

> 2) When entering a new password for a user, there's no "confirm
> password" prompt. I think that's a very important thing to have when
> entering a password, in case of a finger slip. If you don't have to
> confirm the new password (especially when changing the SYSDBA password),
> you could really mess things up. Any reason that's not there?

Same as above - all the source is available, I am sure Jason
would not mind you having a play. Personally I am not
bothered about the 'confirm', but I can see that other
people might prefer it.

--
Lester Caine
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L.S.Caine Electronic Services