ANNOUNCE: DBD::Informix Version 0.60 released
The next release of DBD::Informix, version 0.60, has been uploaded to CPAN. It will be available worldwide in a day or three. 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 0.93 and DBD::Informix). You should be planning to upgrade to at least version Perl 5.004_04 as some software in the DBI family will require this version (eg DBI::Shell). The DBD::Informix and DBI code is available for download via: http://www.perl.org/CPAN/modules/by-category/07_Database_Interfaces http://www.arcana.co.uk/technologia/perl/DBI ******************************************************************* ** When you successfully build DBD::Informix v0.60, please ** ** report your configuration so I can add it to Working.Versions ** ******************************************************************* New in this release: * Added -R option to link lines on Solaris so that the pathname of the Informix shared libraries is embedded into the DBD::Informix shared library, which in turn means that you don't need as much environment set at run-time. This is particularly valuable for CGI scripts run from web servers, though you still need to relay the key Informix environment variables (INFORMIXDIR and INFORMIXSERVER for 6.00 and later versions of the database). * Dropped sqlcmd.sh -- DBI::Shell should be used. * Add various notes on how to build DBD::Informix on various platforms, including how to work around __eprintf() problems. There are two new environment variables, DBD_INFORMIX_DISABLE_ASSERT and DBD_INFORMIX_USE_EPRINTF_CODE, which do what their names suggest. By default, the code is compiled with assertions enabled. * Implicitly finish a SELECT statement when no row is fetched, as required by the DBI specification. * Add $dbh->{ix_DatabaseName} attribute and track the name of the current database. Note that $dbh->{Name} only gives the name used when the connection was established, whereas $dbh->{ix_DatabaseName} tracks CLOSE DATABASE statements and database creation. * Add $sth->{ix_StatementText}, primarily because the code needs to do so to handle database names properly and it was almost painless to make the information available to the user. * The DBI->data_sources('Informix') method now includes the 'dbi:Informix:' prefix mandated by the DBI specification. * Add some more files to the hints directory. These are not just building hints (so maybe they belong somewhere else), but they may help you with fixing common problems (and misconceptions). * Fix one source of the problems reported by Kenji Hino <kenji@alcatraz.net> related null blobs and SQL error -608. Still to do: * Add support for IUS data types. Being worked on by two noble volunteers, David Meyer <dmeyer9@email.msn.com> and Rocky Bernstein <rocky@thewire.ap.org>. * Investigate whether using sqlda structures in place of SQL descriptors makes a significant difference to the performance of DBD::Informix. Being worked on by another noble volunteer, Wes Gamble <Wes.Gamble@chron.com>. Note that this work is a necessary precursor to providing support for Informix-ESQL/C v4.x or earlier versions. * Use the output from DESCRIBE of an UPDATE statement in ClientSDK 2.00 and the 7.30 servers. * Ensure that the tests clean up behind themselves. Also ensure that the tests always use DBD_INFORMIX_USERNAME and DBD_INFORMIX_PASSWORD when they are provided. Let me know of problems, as usual, and solutions too when you have them. Enjoy! Jonathan Leffler (j.leffler@acm.org) #include <disclaimer.h> PS: Read the README file. Also read the Informix.Licence file. @(#)$Id: Announce,v 60.4 1998/08/13 00:43:11 jleffler Exp $ Yours, Jonathan Leffler (jleffler@informix.com) #include <witticism.h> Guardian of DBD::Informix v0.60 -- http://www.perl.com/CPAN Informix IDN for D4GL & Linux -- http://www.informix.com/idn