Re: Non-ANSI Informix databases and Intergraph

->From: hugh@nezsdc.icl.co.nz (Hugh Grierson) ->Subject: Non-ANSI Informix databases and Intergraph ->Date: Wed, 1 Jun 94 02:43:40 GMT ->Organization: Fujitsu New Zealand, Local Government Group -> ->ANSI-mode Informix databases. Interesting things. There's no BEGIN ->WORK statement, and you must always specify the table owner as a part ->of its name. So given a million or so lines of code developed under ->Standard Engine and now running happily on both SE and non-ANSI Online ->systems there is little incentive to switch to ANSI mode. In fact ->there's a very good disincentive. Or at least there would be if the ->issue of interoperability hadn't just raised its mighty head. -> ->It seems that Intergraph's RIS product will only work with ANSI-mode ->Informix databases. Now don't ask me why; that's just the way it is ->(or so I am told by their locals). [Intergraph, are you listening? ->Email me please, I'd like to discuss this...] -> ->So we must now take a serious look at converting all this code to run ->on ANSI-mode databases if we want Intergraph to be able to access our ->databases. At least that's one option. A box of chocolate fish to ->anyone who can suggest a better one. -> ->And on a more general interoperability theme, are there any other ->advantages to be gained by using ANSI-mode databases? Are there ->perhaps more products like RIS which prefer this mode for some ->reason (and what would that reason be)? Sufficient strategic ->advantage would make the cost of code conversion somewhat more ->palatable. -> ->Thanks in advance... ->-- ->Hugh Grierson hugh@fujitsu.co.nz 16C, clear, cool southerlies Consider making a script with a line of this form for each table: CREATE SYNONYM tablename FOR owner.tablename; If each user who must use your software runs this script, then you can avoid changing the source code to reference tables in owner.tablename format. You still need to find and eliminate the BEGIN WORK, but that is a lot less code to change than all the table names, and an unvarying string to boot! Question to Informix, Inc.: Do/will newer versions of Informix support the concept of *public* synonym? In Oracle, a user with DBA privilege can say: CREATE PUBLIC SYNONYM tablename FOR owner.tablename; This eliminates the need for each user to do the same, and would be a big help in situations like Hugh's. Regards, Alan ___________________________ ______________________| R. Alan Popiel |__________________________ \\ Internet: | Martin Marietta, SLS | / \\ alan@den.mmc.com | P.O. Box 179, M/S 3810 | Std disclaimers apply. / )Voice: | Denver, CO 80201-0179 USA | ( / 303-977-9998 |___________________________| (But you knew that!) \\ /________________________) (____________________________\\