Re: How are temp tables stored?

> > Does anyone know how temporary tables are stored in Informix? I have > heard that they are stored in memory if they are small enough, although > it seems to me they would have to write out to disk beyond a certain > size. Still their performance does not seem any better than regular > tables, once they are created and have indexes in place. So I suspect > they are really stored on disk anyway. Anybody know? I am using > Informix 5, but would also like to know how 6 does it, if different. > > Thanks heaps > > Gerry Tynen > I believe, and please correct me if I'm wrong, that if you were to look in the DBTEMP directory (this, of course, assumes that you have an OS that allows you to have other terminals running) you will see two files (this assumes, as does the fact that I mentioned DBTEMP that we are talking about SE) that look suspiciously like informix tables. I'm not sure about storing in 'smaller' tables in memory. Seems like a lot of work for informix to go to, i.e. how much memory is available, anybody else assigned to that space, etc., when it could very easily write to the disk. Less chance of collisions, etc. However, Informix has surprised me before. :-) ========================================================================== == George Teachman == == Soil Scientist == == United States Department of Agriculture - Soil Conservation Service == == Fort Collins, Colorado == == 303-282-1960 == == == == george@talon.ftc.scs.ag.gov == == ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ == == Welcome to earth, third rock from the sun. Cause and effect. == == There are only three laws of nature, and one exception. == == 1) F=ma; 2) E=m(c squared); 3) You can't push a rope == == From these three laws all others can be derived. == == Except those explained by CHAOS THEORY. == ==========================================================================