tracking data changes (a request for advice/information)

I need the ability to track any changes to a large OnLine database, to the table/row/column level*, without having to constantly scan all of the tables, and without building any special abilities into the applications doing the adding/deleteing/updating. The former is no good because: 1) It would use up too many resources, and 2) It wouldn't give me the changes in the order they happened (fairly important) The latter is no good because: 1) Too much existing code would have to be changed, and 2) doing batch adds/updates/deletes with isql would screw things up The most obvious solution I can think of is having transaction logging turned on, and monitoring the logical log. I guess my questions are: 1) Is this the best way to do what I want? 2) How would one monitor the logical log if one wanted to? 2a) Will it be extremely painful to get the information I want? 2b) Are there any library functions available for looking at logical logs, or will I have to parse tblog output? You get the idea. Oh, the system in question is an HP something-or-other (near top of the line) running the most up to date versions of HP-UX and INFORMIX OnLine. If you guessed that the machine isn't here yet, you are right, although I do have all of the INFORMIX manuals. I need to get a head-start on this project, but I don't have a machine to play with to see if I am headed in the right direction, so any suggestions or pointers will be very much appreciated. Thanks, Chris *I don't need to know before and after values, just what column(s) changed, and what their current values are. -- Chris Mathes, Metters Industries, Inc. UUCP: {..!}uunet!metter!chris Tel:(703)418-0323 INET: chris@metter.fmpmis.metter.com "The Tao of Programming flows far away and returns on the wind of morning."-TToP