No Protected Mode with DOS ESQL/C and v.6.0 MSC Compiler

If you are developing database-related applications that are supposed to run in many environments, you may find yourself needing to use INFORMIX(r) ESQL/C(tm) under DOS. Be skeptical of sales representatives' claims about current capabilities. At the time of my purchase, ESQL/C version 2.10.06E was the current revision. Despite salespersons' claims to the contrary, this product does not fully support the version 6.0 C compiler from Microsoft(r); protected-mode is not supported. Thus, applications must be small, or slow, complicated overlay architecture must be employed. The release notes for the product state, "Protected-mode support for Microsoft C 6.0 will be added with our next release." That next release is 4.1 and is now available. There is a "gotcha," however. In this new release, the database engine for DOS is not bundled with the ESQL/C tool. Thus, while 4.1 does technically support protected mode, it is only useful if the product is being used in a client/server configuration; the engine to allow ESQL/C 4.1 to be used on a stand-alone DOS system has not yet been released. Don't be misled by Informix's "Technical Brief: INFORMIX-ESQL/C Version 4.1 for DOS and Microsoft Windows," dated March, 1992. It is written as if the DOS 4.1-compatible engine were already available. Your alternatives if you require protected mode and you must use ESQL/C for DOS? Use version 5.0 or 5.1 of the Microsoft C Compiler, wait until the DOS 4.1-compatible engine is out, or run client/server with a UNIX host. -------> | ------ | | Ben Curry currcomp!curry@ColumbiaSC.NCR.COM | | Curry Computing 803-762-7266 | | 914 Folly Road, Suite G | -----> Charleston, SC 29412 -------- -- -------> | ------ | | Ben Curry currcomp%curry@ColumbiaSC.NCR.COM | | Curry Computing 803-762-7266