Re: Oracle to Informix

In article <31278E4E.6171@compuserve.com>, "Robert G. Miller" <73307.3247@compuserve.com> wrote: > We are starting to convert a system that was written for Oracle to use > Informix. This involves generating scripts to create tables and > indexes, grant priviliges, etc. It also includes rewritting a program, > something like odbc, to use esql instead of oracle's calls (odbc is not > an option for us). > > Any tips would be appreciated! > > Thanks, > Bob Miller, Tulsa OK. The schema should be pretty easy to set up. Data can be extrated from Oracle using SQL*Plus and loaded into Informix using their load command from isql/dbaccess. The area that your probably going to have problems with is differences in the SQL dielect. Oracle offers gobs of builtin functions that are not available in Informix. There are also restrictions in some areas of Informix's SQL, such as not being able perform inserts using a subselect on the same table. The ESQLC interfaces are very similar, with the following differences: Oracle's varchar is not handled the same way. (Thank God - Informix implements several C string compatible types) Informix requires explicit freeing of cursurs and statements. If the Oracle interface was implemented using OCI, you've got more work to do. -- Peter Sylvester MITRE Corp. Bedford, MA (peters@mitre.org)