ANNOUNCE: DBD::Informix Version 0.95 released

The next release of DBD::Informix, version 0.95, was uploaded to CPAN on 1999-12-30. It should now be available worldwide. DBD::Informix is the driver code that enables Perl 5.004 or 5.005 to access Informix databases via the DBI module (you'll need the code for both DBI version 1.02 or later and DBD::Informix). You should upgrade to at least version Perl 5.004_04. The DBD::Informix and DBI code is available for download via: http://www.perl.org/CPAN/modules/by-category/07_Database_Interfaces/DBD http://www.symbolstone.org/technology/perl/DBI ******************************************************************* ** When you successfully build DBD::Informix v0.95, please ** ** use the ItWorks script to report your configuration ** ******************************************************************* --------------------------------------------------------------------------- GREAT NEWS Informix will be officially supporting DBD::Informix starting with the next release. And Informix R&D engineers will be doing the coding. So, with the next release, which will probably be 1.00 (because software companies do not, I'm told, release 0.xy versions of products), will be supported by Informix. With the 1.00 version, if you have support for your Informix products, then you will be able to get help for DBD::Informix too. If you do not have Informix support, then you will have to continue to use the mailing lists. I will no longer be doing all the coding etc. I will be the product manager so I'll still be an advisor to the people handling DBD::Informix. And please be patient until the supported release is available, and be patient with the Tech Support people who will have to learn how to deal with this product. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you have Perl configured correctly and a good Internet connection, you should be able to install this version with: perl -MCPAN -e 'install Bundle::DBD::Informix' This worked on RedHat 6.1 Linux using Informix ClientSDK 2.40 (ESQL/C 9.30.UC1) and SE 7.24.UC5 -- yes, the setup was used for testing perverse combinations of products -- once a custom copy of Perl was built and installed, and once h2ph was run in /usr/include (*.h, sys/*.h, bits/*.h, gnu/*.h), and once an an empty stdarg.h was converted with h2ph too. Note, these are required for the pre-requisites and not by DBD::Informix per se. If you have not configured CPAN before, use: perl -MCPAN -e 'install CPAN' # This will ask you questions perl -MCPAN -e shell <<! # This will default some answers install Bundle::libnet install LWP install Bundle::DBD::Informix ! --------------------------------------------------------------------------- New in release 0.95: * Trying to get to a state where release 1.00 is sensible. Hence, DBI compliance has been an issue that has been addressed, not necessarily very thoroughly. * Preliminary support for XPS (8.x) database servers. Versions of XPS prior to 8.30 do not support blobs or stored procedures. * New $dbh attributes for XPS support - ix_ServerVersion, ix_BlobSupport and ix_StoredProcedures. * Various extra documents in Notes sub-directory. * No longer records INFORMIXDIR and INFORMIXSERVER in Informix.pm during build; PAUSE/CPAN was confused by absence of Informix.pm file. * Another attempt at providing Bundle::DBD::Informix support. * Basic support for long table and column (and owner) names. * Use absolute pathnames for shared libraries unless the environment variable DBD_INFDORMIX_RELOCATABLE_INFORMIXDIR is set. Should mean that LD_LIBRARY_PATH et al are not required at run time, which should improve support for web servers. INFORMIXDIR and INFORMIXSERVER must be set, though. * New $sth attribute ix_Fetchable indicates whether you can (and therefore must) do fetches on this statement handle. * Attribute ix_AutoErrorReport is officially obsolete. You get a warning that you are using an obsolete attribute. In future, you won't. * Attribute ix_StatementText is deprecated; use the DBI standard attribute Statement instead. * Add ItWorks shell script to report working versions in a standard manner. * The format of the working versions file has been completely reworked. The file includes most of the entries received from field users during the 'census' in November 1999, plus miscellaneous other reports from people who have sent in details of working versions. This would have been much easier for everyone if the ItWorks script had available for the census. * DBD::Informix versions 0.56, 0.57, 0.59 have been removed from CPAN. Versions 0.55, 0.58 still exist only because they are the ones in the Perl Resource Kits; you are strongly encouraged to upgrade to 0.95. Versions 0.60 and upwards still exist because they are almost current, but you are encouraged to move to 0.95 (especially from 0.61_02). Still to do: * Investigate whether using sqlda structures in place of SQL descriptors makes a significant difference to the performance of DBD::Informix. Note that although this has previously been described as a necessary precursor to providing support for Informix-ESQL/C v4.x or earlier versions, there are actually no longer any plans to provide support for ESQL/C versions prior to 5.00 in DBD::Informix. * Ensure that NT support works more nearly out of the box. * Support for LongReadLen et al, maybe. Next release: 1.00 * This should, with luck, have full IUS support, and decent support for builds on NT. And it should conform fairly closely to the DBI specification. Apologies: * I may have omitted to include contributions from some people in this version. Even worse, I may have accidentally failed to attribute some changes. If you feel slighted, let me know. * I wish the IUS support was more complete, but I found omissions in the Informix documentation which side-tracked me instead of allowing me to actually code DBD::Informix. * The documentation has not been overhauled as thoroughly as I'd like. Let me know of problems, as usual, and solutions too when you have them. Enjoy! -- Yours, Jonathan Leffler (jonathan.leffler@informix.com) #include <disclaimer.h> Guardian of DBD::Informix v0.95 -- http://www.perl.com/CPAN "I don't suffer from insanity; I enjoy every minute of it!" PS: Read the README file. Also read the Informix.Licence file.

Jonathan Leffler <jleffler@informix.com> wrote: > > Let me know of problems, as usual, and solutions too when you have them. > In the README : * Some problems have been encountered on SCO which seems to be related to the equivalent of LD_LIBRARY_PATH on System V Release 4 machines. Again, help or reassurance is needed on this. On 'SCO_SV pigment 3.2 5.0.5 i386' - LD_LIBRARY_PATH *must* be set to $INFORMIXDIR/lib:$INFORMIXDIR/lib/esql and exported. Also on the same platform the h2ph will have created invalid code in (on my system ) /usr/local/lib/perl5/site_perl/5.005/i386-sco/_h2ph_pre.ph I havent tracked down *why* this is but it is remedied by editing the file and removing the first line that looks like : unless ( defined &) { sub "" { 1 } } Or something like that - I didnt keep a copy. This breaks the tests on Net::Daemon if you are installing the whole Bundle. Apart from that it all installed fine :) Cheers Jonathan ! /J\\ -- "I suggest you apply some lubrication before any bending begins" - Antoine de Caunes, Eurotrash