HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: dsimon@jupiter.noname (Don Simon)
Newsgroups: comp.databases.informix
Subject: Re: keeping blanks out of the data
Date: 6 Oct 92 14:09:38 GMT
Reply-To: dsimon@jupiter.noname
Organization: Informix Software

In article 24112@advtech.uswest.com, yslas@riverauswest.com ( Rob Yslas) writes:
>This is probably a dumb question but I don't have an sql/preform manual for this 
>information.  I am using the standard engine and would like to know if there is a
>way for me to keep the blanks at the end of a form from being saved (attribute).  
>The user likes to space bar for deletion of mistakes rather then using ^d.
>I would also like to know if there is an easy way to remove existing blanks from
>the end of fields in the database or set fields with only blanks to a null.  Any
>help is appreciated.
>
>Thanks in advance,
>Rob Yslas
>
>Disclaimer - These questions are my own and do not reflect any knowledge, actual
>or implied, of the employing organization.
>
>-- 
>yslas@advtech.uswest.com
>Thanks


Unless you are using On-Line and var-chars, it shouldn't really matter, since
"Hi" and "Hi  " are stored the same way, the only time it would make a difference
is that there is a difference between NULL and " ".

As to clearing blank fields to NULL, I would suggest an UPDATE similar to this:

UPDATE x SET cola = NULL
	WHERE cola MATCHES " "

You should probably play with that to see what the exact syntax you need is.  Be aware
that storing as NULL is not going to change the size of you database files...CISAM
files are fixed length records, a char(20) is going to take up 20 bytes, regardless
of what is stored in those bytes.


don simon
Could be wrong, Could be right, Could be I didn't sleep last night.
From: "clay irving" <clay.irving@execnet.com>
Newsgroups: comp.databases.informix
Subject: importing images
Date: 28 Sep 92 13:30:31 EST
Reply-To: "clay irving" <clay.irving@execnet.com>
Distribution: comp
Organization: Executive Networks Information

Does anyone have any experience in getting an image into the OnLine 
database? I'll have a GIF, JPEG or BMP image in a file on the system that 
I want to import into a field defined as a BLOB. I'm wondering how to get 
it into the database?...

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Clay Irving             Work: clay@garpac.com   
4GL Project Manager      Fun: clay.irving@execnet.com
Garpac Corporation      uucp: {uupsi3, 4gen}!garpac!clay
Voice: 212.760.0070      CIS: 75170, 107
Fax: 212.564.2635        IBM: HONE82(DACK0AX)
----------------------------------------------------------
     * Software Systems for the Apparel Industry *
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-


---
  WinQwk 2.0b#480  A loaf of bread, a jug of wine and <occupant>.
--
Executive Network Information System  (914) 667-4567
International ILink Host
Newsgroups: comp.databases.informix
From: doug@ee.ualberta.ca (Doug Konrad)
Subject: Using an Exabyte 2.3 GB tape drive for archives and logs
Organization: University Of Alberta, Edmonton Canada
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1992 19:15:09 GMT

I am considering the purchase of an Exabyte 2.3 GB tape drive (8mm
video) for my system. I'm wondering what your experiences are with this
device, when archiving your informix system, or backing up logical logs.
Are there any problems?

Doug Konrad
Dr. T. A. Kasper and Associates Medical Laboratories
doug@ee.ualberta.ca
(403)426-4160
From: "clay irving" <clay.irving@execnet.com>
Newsgroups: comp.databases.informix
Subject: online archive
Date: 29 Sep 92 22:45:47 EST
Reply-To: "clay irving" <clay.irving@execnet.com>
Distribution: comp
Organization: Executive Networks Information

Has anyone experienced this problem (or once again, am I out in the void)?
I recently installed another database server on our RS/6000 host -- I 
setup a copy of the relevent databases on another physical volume and set 
TBCONFIG to access a specific server. Every since the setup, I can't 
perform a level 0 archive. The archive get to 40-60% complete before I 
get an Error No. 6 for the tape device. InformixLink indicates that 
Error No. 6 is something like a wrong device (after half the archive!?). 
At first I thought it may be a tape cartridge heading south for the 
winter, but I've repeatedly used the tape cartridge that errored for a 
normal file system backup. I've tried five times now and each time 
produces the same error...

Configuration:
        o       Informix Online 4.10
        o       AIX V3.2.0
       
Any information would be most appreciated.

-clay-



---
  WinQwk 2.0b#480  Time for culture: Gone CHOPIN, BACH in a MINUET...
--
Executive Network Information System  (914) 667-4567
International ILink Host
From: dave.snyder@snide.com (Dave Snyder)
Newsgroups: comp.databases.informix
Subject: Re: Perform data ordering
Date: 29 Sep 92 00:33:14 GMT
Reply-To: dave.snyder@snide.com (Dave Snyder)
X-Informix-List-ID: <list.1491>

Quoting Mark L Trotter...
} 
}   I am looking for a way to force perform to list the current list
} returned from a query to a particular order.  For instance, if I query
} on the entry date for a specific range, I still want the rows displayed
} in lastname, firstname order.  Can this be done?
}   I am using SQL 4.1 on the 5.0 OnLine engine on an HP9000/832 running
} HPUX 8.0.
} 
I have found that creating a clustered index on the fields to be sorted
usually (but not always) works.  In perform, there is no full proof way
of doing an ORDER BY.

DAS
-- 
David Snyder @ Snide Computer Services - Folcroft, PA          Current Release
                                                               is db4glgen-3.7
UUCP:  ..!uunet!das13!dave   INTERNET:  dave.snyder@snide.com
From: cheryl@redriverad-emh1.army.mil (Cheryl Gross)
Newsgroups: comp.databases.informix
Subject: Answer for Questions on 8mm tape drive
Date: 30 Sep 92 15:33:11 GMT
Reply-To: cheryl@redriverad-emh1.army.mil
X-Informix-List-ID: <list.1498>

Subject:  Exabyte 2.3 GB 

Doug,

We have recently purchased a Cybernetics 8mm tape drive and find it works
fairly well on our unix system configured as our 9-track tape drive.

We had some problems trying to connect both the 9-track tape drive and
the 8mm using the same controller. Cybernetics tells us it will work and
our UNISYS technician says it will not.

Have not had time to get all this worked out.  It works fine as long
as it is the only item on the cable.

The speed is more or less dependant on your operating system and writes
using tar or afio as fast as it would going disk to disk.  
Understand with a controller and software of it's own it is possible to 
write at much higher speeds than we are getting with tar or afio.
Because we do unattended back-ups of our database at night and the disk
where we backed up our system disk to disk has become  too small, it was 
necessary to obtain a larger disk and tape system.  Howwever, the speed
of the back-ups doesn't hurt us much because we are doing them at night
by cron.

We do not have Informix on the system we have the 8mm tape drive, but
if this system works ok we will be adding them to our other systems.

Cheryl Gross
(903) 334-3518
Red River Army Depot
Texarkana, Texas
From: coburn@informix.com (David Coburn)
Newsgroups: comp.databases.informix
Subject: Re: Selecting Informix - Would you do it again?
Date: 6 Oct 92 22:32:33 GMT
Organization: Informix Software, Inc.

In article <curt.28.718377000@emory.edu> curt@emory.edu (Curt Stauffer) writes:
>Emory University is looking for a UNIX database as part of a right-
>sizing initiative. We would like to know what tools you are using to
>develop applications to use with Informix. What has your experience
>been with this database and these tools? If you were going to choose a
>UNIX database today, would you buy Informix again? Why or why not?
>
>Please reply to the following e-mail address rather than posting a
>followup article.

Curt,

I may be a masochist, but would you mind posting a summary of what you
hear?  If it would make you feel better, I would suggest that folks
replying indicate whether or not they want their names attached to the
reply, or simply delete the names prior to posting the summary.

Thanks,


David Coburn                                 coburn@informix.com
Informix Software, Inc.                    ...uunet!infmx!coburn
=========================================================================
Any opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of Informix 
(or for that matter, anybody else).
=========================================================================
From: johnl@obelix.informix.com (Jonathan Leffler)
Newsgroups: comp.databases.informix
Subject: Re: Unix date -> DATETIME
Date: 28 Sep 92 18:08:06 GMT
Reply-To: johnl@obelix.informix.com (Jonathan Leffler)
X-Informix-List-ID: <list.1486>


}From: uunet!cix.compulink.co.uk!shemminga (Stuart Hemming)
}Subject: Re: Unix date -> DATETIME
}Date: 25 Sep 92 11:38:17 GMT
}X-Informix-List-Id: <news.1879>
}
}In a previous message I asked about converting unix dates to DATETIME
}format without explaining what I was trying to do.
}
}Basically I have a table which has a field of type int. This value
}comes from an Informix audit file and represents a unix date. What I
}want to do is to sort and extract from this file based on the date
}value. To be able to do this I really need to convert the int values
}to datetime.

Aaah.  Then you need to look up strftime(3) and gmtime(3).  If you haven't
got strftime(3), then ask me for my version of it -- but it's in ANSI C.

Yours,
Jonathan Leffler (johnl@obelix.informix.com) #include <disclaimer.h>
From: kristen.m.altman@ccd.harris.com (Kristen Altman)
Newsgroups: comp.databases.informix
Subject: Unknown error message
Date: 1 Oct 92 00:13:08 GMT
Reply-To: kristen.m.altman@ccd.harris.com (Kristen Altman)
X-Informix-List-ID: <list.1501>

Informix'ers

When I try to bring up Informix during system initialization
I get the message "Unknown error message number '32766'".  Now
this message has also come up during regular operation. 
The only way I've found to get rid of it is to bring Informix
Offline and then Online.  
 
Has anyone else gotten this before?  If so, do you have any idea
what it means and what to do about it?

I have Informix OnLine and ISQL 4.1 on a Motorola 68040 with 
SystemV UNIX.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Kristen
-- 
*******************************************************
*                   Kristen Altman                    *
*                 kma@ccd.harris.com                  *
*              Harris Controls Division               *
*                   Melbourne, FL                     *
******************************************************* 
Newsgroups: comp.databases.informix
From: eric@desktalk.com (Eric Lieber)
Subject: Re: importing images
Reply-To: eric@desktalk.com
Organization: Desktalk Systems Inc.
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1992 18:17:25 GMT

In article 1723@execnet, "clay irving" <clay.irving@execnet.com> () writes:
>Does anyone have any experience in getting an image into the OnLine 
>database? I'll have a GIF, JPEG or BMP image in a file on the system that 
>I want to import into a field defined as a BLOB. I'm wondering how to get 
>it into the database?...
>
>=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
>Clay Irving             Work: clay@garpac.com   
>4GL Project Manager      Fun: clay.irving@execnet.com
>Garpac Corporation      uucp: {uupsi3, 4gen}!garpac!clay
>Voice: 212.760.0070      CIS: 75170, 107
>Fax: 212.564.2635        IBM: HONE82(DACK0AX)
>----------------------------------------------------------
>     * Software Systems for the Apparel Industry *
>=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
 Instead of storing these huge amounts of data inefficiently in the database,
why not store the address (pathname) in the database and keep your GIF/RASTER file as an operating system  file. This will improve performance.
If the picture has to be swapped out with another all u have to do is 
update the  pathname and you are ready to go. 

eric lieber
DeskTalk Systems
Torrance, CA
From: bob@dmrinc.com (Bob Hadden)
Newsgroups: comp.databases.informix
Subject: Re: Error code 459
Date: 30 Sep 92 16:38:04 GMT
Reply-To: bob@dmrinc.com
X-Informix-List-ID: <list.1499>


    We got a -459 in one of our test domains, but the error code section of
    the manual skips from -456 to -461.  Does anyone know what a 459 is?

    Rich Zellich
    USAMC SIMA
    St. Louis, MO
___________
	This error can occur in 4GL when you forget to close your
cursors, and later re-open them.  The Informix Run-time will
let you open the cursor without the error, but after several
Fetches, the Database engine will get confused. Unfortunately,
Informix is not consistent in trapping this condition.  Just
be sure that whenever you open a cursor, you also close the
cursor when you are done fetching your data.
From: rjsparks@loanstar.tamu.edu (Robert Sparks)
Subject: Fetching DATETIMES into sqlda 
Organization: LoanSTAR
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 04:14:20 GMT


A basic question:

If you have a table with a column named "timestamp" of type DATETIME YEAR TO HOUR
and you select it with the following ala unload.ec in the distribution demo...

$ prepare usqlobj from "select timestamp from spoo"
$ describe usqlobj into udesc;

/* Go through udesc->sqlvar , sqlvar + 1 ... and set SQLDTIME to CDTIMETYPE
    (is this valid? It works for basic types like float...) */
/* Build a buffer to put the result of the fetch into */

$ declare usqlcurs cursor for usqlobj;
$ open usqlcurs;
$ fetch usqlcurs using descriptor udesc;
  while (sqlca.sqlcode!=0)
  {
     /* Decode each field : Im going to put some particulars here */
     for (col=udesc->sqlvar,i=0; i<udesc->sqld; col++,i++)
     {
       switch (col->sqltype)
       {
          case CDTIMETYPE:
              /* RIGHT HERE:: What do I do with col->sqldata ? */
              /* The following bombs :
                   dttoasc((dtime_t *)col->sqldata,asctime);
                 What do I need to do to col->sqldata to get my grubby
                 fingers on the datetime value?


RjS
rjsparks@loanstar.tamu.edu
From: clay.irving@execnet.com (clay irving)
Newsgroups: comp.databases.informix
Subject: online archive
Date: 6 Oct 92 00:22:53 GMT
Reply-To: "clay irving" <clay.irving@execnet.com>
Distribution: comp
Organization: Executive Networks Information

On 10-05-92 I write:


|Has anyone experienced this problem (or once again, am I out in the 
|void)?
|I recently installed another database server on our RS/6000 host -- I
|setup a copy of the relevent databases on another physical volume and 
|set
|TBCONFIG to access a specific server. Every since the setup, I can't
|perform a level 0 archive. The archive get to 40-60% complete before I
|get an Error No. 6 for the tape device. InformixLink indicates that
|Error No. 6 is something like a wrong device (after half the 
|archive!?).
|At first I thought it may be a tape cartridge heading south for the
|winter, but I've repeatedly used the tape cartridge that errored for a
|normal file system backup. I've tried five times now and each time
|produces the same error...
|
|Configuration:
|        o       Informix Online 4.10
|        o       AIX V3.2.0
|

Well! This is a first -- I can answer my question... The problem has 
nothing to do with adding another database server. That was just a 
coincidence. The problem was the configuration of the tape device. I had a 
150MB QIC, so I entered 150000 Kbyte capacity in the archive 
configuration. Lo and behold, you have to enter a value lower than that or 
the archive will ABEND...

-clay-

---
 ~ WinQwk 2.0b#480 ~ Item: Failing sardine factory cans employees.
--
Executive Network Information System  (914) 667-4567
International ILink Host
Newsgroups: comp.databases.informix
From: ptm@xact.demon.co.uk (Paul Thomas Mahoney)
Subject: Re: Using I-Net with I-Star
Organization: X-Act Solutions Limited
Date: Sat, 26 Sep 1992 08:19:11 GMT

We run isqlrf and esql applications on client 486PC's using I-Net to
communicate with an OnLine engine on a server machine with I-Star.
That much I know works. We don't use 4-GL at all. We are about to find
out if we can fully utilise isql over the net - ie. develop forms and
reports and run ramdom sql scripts from a client machine rather than
on the server machine.

-- 
Paul Mahoney, X-Act Solutions Limited
smail: 20 Shipley Lane, Cooden, Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN39 3SR
email: ptm@xact.demon.co.uk ... pmahoney@cix.compulink.co.uk
phone: +44 424 3 6368
From: mana-s@ascii.co.jp (Manabu Shimohira)
Newsgroups: comp.databases.informix
Subject: usage of the dbexport.
Date: 30 Sep 92 05:48:12 GMT
Reply-To: mana-s@ascii.co.jp (Manabu Shimohira)
X-Informix-List-ID: <list.1494>


Hello to networld.

Is there anybody who can let me understand why the dbexport is not
suitable for database backup, or why I should avoid using dbexport 
for database backup.

I thought the dbexport and dbimport is a handy method for archiving
data with their schema.

But I can find several caution to not to use dbexport for database
backup (ex. p4-7 in I-SE ADMIN, p5-24 in GUIDE TO SQL TUTORIAL, 
p3-113 in I-OnLine ADMIN.. all for v5.0)

There will be some reason not to use dbexport. I just want to know why.

Please E-mail if you have any suggestions and ideas.

Regards.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
       ___/     ______/    _____/    _/    _/   Manabu Shimohira
    _/    _/   _/         _/        _/    _/    Business Software Div.
   _/___/_/   ______/    _/        _/    _/     ASCII Corporation
  _/    _/        _/    _/        _/    _/      Tel +81 44 952 8210
 _/    _/   ______/    _____/    _/    _/       Fax +81 44 952 1409
					        E-mail mana-s@ascii.co.jp
From: bob@dmrinc.com (Bob Hadden)
Newsgroups: comp.databases.informix
Subject: Modulus Arithmatic
Date: 5 Oct 92 17:48:10 GMT
Reply-To: bob@dmrinc.com
X-Informix-List-ID: <list.1506>


I rarely need to do modulo arithmatic, but I seem to
remember being able to have this capability in Informix. But
I can't seem to find a manual that shows the corect syntax
for this operation in ACE.  
This is strictly for SQL, and the SE engine (NO 4GL).
Anyone out there have a simple answer?

RH.
From: billd@informix.com (William Daul)
Newsgroups: comp.databases.informix
Subject: Re: Unknown error message
Date: 1 Oct 92 07:04:40 GMT
Organization: Informix Software, Inc.

In <9670@emory.mathcs.emory.edu> kristen.m.altman@ccd.harris.com (Kristen Altman) writes:

>When I try to bring up Informix during system initialization
>I get the message "Unknown error message number '32766'".  Now
>this message has also come up during regular operation. 
>The only way I've found to get rid of it is to bring Informix
>Offline and then Online.  
> 
>Has anyone else gotten this before?  If so, do you have any idea
>what it means and what to do about it?

>I have Informix OnLine and ISQL 4.1 on a Motorola 68040 with 
>SystemV UNIX.


Kristen, 

Pulled the following out of our TechInfo Database...not sure if it will help
but...

                   TechInfo # 14

Short Description:
32767 or 32766 when trying to run product

Long Description: 
32767 or 32766 will be returned if INFORMIXDIR is not set when   
user tries to run isql, i4gl, etc.  if installation was not done 
properly, such as no cd to $INFORMIXDIR.                         

                   TechInfo # 134

Short Description:
32766 error on install when esql/c-all being installed

Long Description: 
This occurs if esql/c is not already installed in the directory  
the esql/c-all is being installed in.                            

-- 
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
 William Daul             Advanced Support      INFORMIX SOFTWARE INC.
 4100 Bohannon Dr.        (415) 926-6488 - wk
 Menlo Park, CA. 94025    uunet!infmx!billd  or  billd@informix.com
From: cheryl@redriverad-emh1.army.mil (Cheryl Gross)
Newsgroups: comp.databases.informix
Subject: UNIX DATETIME format
Date: 28 Sep 92 12:33:13 GMT
Reply-To: cheryl@redriverad-emh1.army.mil
X-Informix-List-ID: <list.1484>


Quoting Stuart Hemming... from David Snyder's message ... my copy got deleted

} Anyone out there know of a way of converting a unix 4-byte date to
} DATETIME format?
}

Not sure whether you want UNIX capabilities or ESQL or Informix.
David gave an example for 4GL.

in Unix Bourne Shell:

dt=`date +'%m/%d/%y'`
puts 09/25/92 into variable $dt

dt=`date +'%H:%M'`
puts 09:01 into variable $dt

dt=`date +'%y%j'`
puts 92269 into variable $dt

Also you can place this information into a function.ec file and call from
a perform screen to place the date and time on the screen.  In tThis case
we are only placing the year.  (This may be crude, but we are teaching
ourselves)

{
long seconds, time();
char usertime[4];
struct tm *timerec, *localtime();

seconds = time((long *) 0);
timerec = localtime(&seconds);
{
/*if (timerec->tm_mon > 9)
   timerec->tm_year = timerec->tm_year + 1;*/
/* put in as an example of accessing the elements of the structure  */
}
sprintf(usertime, "%02d", timerec->tm_year);
pf_putval(usertime, CCHARTYPE, "az");
}

This was written for 2.10 SE and is working in 4.1.  We haven't gotten
in to writing 4GL yet and still use C-Functions alot in our perform screens.

For information on the time.h header, see pages 255-6, Date & Time Functions, 
   Second Edition "The C Programming Language", 
     by Kernighan and Ritchie.

Hope some of this helps.

Cheryl Gross
(903) 334-3518
Red River Army Depot
Information Center
Texarkana, TX
From: klonz@copper.denver.colorado.edu (K Lonz)
Newsgroups: comp.databases.informix
Subject: Rowid Question
Date: 26 Sep 92 16:11:09 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of Colorado at Denver

I'm a rookie at Informix so my apologies to the veterans.

My simple question is:

	If you 'load' a new table from a previously 'unloaded' file
are the rowids always reassigned sequentially starting with 1? (i.e.,
each added record will have rowid numbers 1,2,3,4,...,n).

	I need the information to complete some testing on a system 
conversion.

Thank you in advance for any responses!


							klonz
From: dccrjc9@bpats (David Stockel)
Newsgroups: comp.databases.informix
Subject: Re: importing images
Date: 30 Sep 92 18:18:05 GMT
Reply-To: dccrjc9@bpats (David Stockel)
X-Informix-List-ID: <list.1500>

> Instead of storing these huge amounts of data inefficiently in the database,
>why not store the address (pathname) in the database and keep your GIF/RASTER file as an operating system  file. This will improve performance.
>If the picture has to be swapped out with another all u have to do is 
>update the  pathname and you are ready to go. 

Inefficently? Is there some serious problem that I haven't heard about?
Last year, I converted a system that was using UNIX files to BLOBs.
There were no BLOB related performace complaints that I heard about.

The conversion also solved some nagging problems with UNIX file
permissions and ownership. Handing a file off to another user was a
real messy process. This was greatly simplified by storing the data
rather than the path.

Using BLOBs also simplifies backups. All the data is on the same tape.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
David Stockel                       Internet: dccrjc9@bpats.bell-atl.com
 of  ADIA Information Technologies     Voice: (215) 466-3216
 at  Bell Atlantic                       Fax: (215) 665-1329
     1717 Arch Street 4-N-8
     Philadelphia, PA 19103         Proudly serving my corporate masters