Re: copy database structure and contents

Walt Hultgren {rmy} wrote: > Bryan Tonnet <batonnet@zeta.org.au> wrote: > >Even easier, if it's SE, is to just copy the databasename.dbs directory. > > Be very careful doing this. This will work *if* all systables.dirpath > values are non-absolute; i. e., they have only the Unix file basenames > without the {dat,idx} suffixes. Otherwise, the original Unix files will > be accessed (if possible) when the tables are referenced in the new copy > of the database. > > A disclaimer on this advice is that it was true for older SE versions, > and I have not had occasion to verify it in later ones, thankfully. If > someone with more knowledge of SE internals knows otherwise, I'd > appreciate hearing about it. As you say, check the dirpath in systables. But for a standard Informix database these should be simple names. There is no problem copying the data files as long as the CISAM versions remain the same. I can't find the original question, but if SE has been updated then it is safer to export the data to ASCII format and import it. Don't, what ever you do, copy Informix data files onto Chameleon data files. Even if they claim the CISAM versions to be the same!!! The indexes appear to be terribly corrupted, and any amount of bchecking does NOT sort the problem. I know. <#^) Cheers, -- Mark. +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ |Mark D. Stock - The West Solutions Group http://www.west.co.za | | | |mailto:marks@west.co.za +------------------------------------------------+ |Tel: +27 11 803 2151 |If it doesn't work... force it! | |Fax: +27 11 803 2189 |If it breaks... it needed replacing anyway! | |Cell: +27 83 250 2325 |Well, that's how I code anyway! | +------------------------+------------------------------------------------+