At 10:38 PM 8/10/2004 +1000, you wrote:

> > Hello, Alan!
> > You wrote to <IBObjects@yahoogroups.com> on Fri, 8 Oct 2004
> > 19:29:22 +1000:
> >
> > >> Agree, that is a reason why there will not be a simple transformation
> > >> from <Server_Name>:<Path_On_Server> to
> > <Network_Path_To_Database_Directory>
> >
> > AM> SInce shares can be given any name you want and since paths can be
> > AM> duplicated from any number of start points, how would you ever know
> > AM> that the share is starting from the point you expect it to?
> >
> > ... and Firebird server since 1.5 now support database aliases and
> > connection string not contain any paths - only server name and alias name.
> >
> > WBR,Dmitry Beloshistov AKA [-=BDS=-]
>
>that's not what the discussion was about

Why not? The application can read aliases.conf like any other
file. Assuming Russell's software is attaching to a Fb 1.5 server, of
course...

1. Use the alias in the gbak -b call
2. Read the alias from aliases.conf to find the absolute path to the database
3. Parse that to get the structure part of the path (sans disk)
4. Incude an input field to collect the shared drive name from the user
(who is presumably an administrator and therefore should know)
5. Apply duct tape and you've got the network database path to the
database file. Proceed to rename it.

Note, you can have an alias in aliases.conf for the name of the temporary
database that you restore to, to verify the backup. You can use aliases in
both the backup and restore commands.

Don't forget to make sure that any database you restore for production use
is restored by the owner.

Helen