Ok, have IB_SQL compiled and running. Relations tab found by clicking the
Browse Database icon, correct? Checked System Inf.

Selected RDB$TYPES. Showing RDB$FIELD_NAME, RDB$TYPE, RDB$TYPE_NAME,
RDB$DESCRIPTION, RDB$SYSTEM_FLAG, DB_KEY, and these are controllable in the
Field Names List tab. RDB$TYPE is a smallint, and apparently contains the
number I need. Then by selecting a table of interest, presumably the
RDB%TYPE number should be displayed? Have not seen that. Something still
missing?

Sent earlier but has not appeared on the list. Please forgive if duplicated.

tks,

jwc

-----Original Message-----
From: Helen Borrie [mailto:helebor@...]
Sent: Thursday, April 29, 2004 9:24 AM
To: IBObjects@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [IBO] Data Types in IBO

At 09:18 AM 29/04/2004 -0400, you wrote:

>Can you point me to an example that uses the IB_SQL browser? I could not
>find a reference to it in the component palette or IBO help file.

IB_SQL is an application. The project source is in the root directory of
IBO (IB_SQL.dpr). You can either compile it yourself or download it
already compiled from the IBO website.

I only suggested using the IB_SQL browser because it gives you a good
display of the system tables. Any tool that shows you the system tables
will do, isql if you like...

Helen

>tks,
>
>jwc
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Helen Borrie [mailto:helebor@...]
>Sent: Thursday, April 29, 2004 1:50 AM
>To: IBObjects@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: Re: [IBO] Data Types in IBO
>
>At 12:36 AM 29/04/2004 -0400, you wrote:
> >My database uses TiboDatabase. I detect field names using SchemaCache
> >properties, and am trying to detect data types using db.datasets[ i
> >].fields[ j ], etc.
> >
> >I am converting some legacy code which used tIboQuery to compare

datatypes

> >with ftString, ftMemo, etc.
> >
> >My new code uses tib_column properties, where I can only find Boolean
> >properties isText, isBlob, isNumeric, etc. I am looking for a way to
> >distinguish between the old ftString and ftMemo. This is important

because

> >of the web interface, in which the controls differ between string and

memo

> >types. Better yet would be some syntax allowing me to continue using the
> >ftxx syntax with tib_column if possible.
>
>Not directly. But each prepared TIB_Column has the properties SQLType and
>SQLSubType. These are smallints corresponding to RDB$TYPE of the members
>of the enumerated type RDB$FIELD_TYPE in the system table RDB$TYPES. You
>can inspect the system tables easily in the IB_SQL browser, by checking the
>"System Inf." checkbox on the Relations tab and selecting RDB$TYPES.
>
>Only BLOBs have a value in SQLSubType: specifically, text BLOBs have 1, of
>course. The SQLType of a BLOB is 261; of a varchar(n), 37; of a char(n),
>14. So you can store a simple, static TStringlist in your application with
>strings of the format NAME=VALUE to map the SQLTypes you are interested in
>to whatever you want. For example, just bypass the VCL's ft* things
>altogether and map an sqltype directly to input tag values like <textarea>,
>etc., e.g.
>14=<text>
>261=<textarea>
>etc.
>
>Booleans are harder, since the database doesn't have boolean types; so
>IsBoolean is the only way you will be able to distinguish whether a char
>(sqltype 14) or a smallint (sqltype 7) is being used as a Boolean - and
>then only if you have told the application so by some means. You can
>simply "make up" an entry in your list for your custom Booleans, using a
>number that's not used by the database enumeration, say
>
>999=<checkbox>
>
>Helen
>
>
>
>
>___________________________________________________________________________
>IB Objects - direct, complete, custom connectivity to Firebird or InterBase
> without the need for BDE, ODBC or any other layer.
>___________________________________________________________________________
>http://www.ibobjects.com - your IBO community resource for Tech Info

papers,

>keyword-searchable FAQ, community code contributions and more !
>Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>___________________________________________________________________________
>IB Objects - direct, complete, custom connectivity to Firebird or InterBase
> without the need for BDE, ODBC or any other layer.
>___________________________________________________________________________
>http://www.ibobjects.com - your IBO community resource for Tech Info

papers,

>keyword-searchable FAQ, community code contributions and more !
>Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>

___________________________________________________________________________
IB Objects - direct, complete, custom connectivity to Firebird or InterBase
without the need for BDE, ODBC or any other layer.
___________________________________________________________________________
http://www.ibobjects.com - your IBO community resource for Tech Info papers,
keyword-searchable FAQ, community code contributions and more !
Yahoo! Groups Links