HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: davek@informix.com (David Kosenko)
Newsgroups: comp.databases.informix
Subject: Re: Rowid Question
Date: 30 Sep 92 15:38:43 GMT
Organization: Informix Software, Inc.

In article <1992Sep28.113926.5782@bnr.ca>  writes:
>Rory Martin wrote:
>> 
>> > 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).
>> > 
>> 
>> The simple answer is...yes.  Rowids are simply physical positions within
>> the table.  They have no other relationship with a record.  They are also
>> reassigned within the same table if a record has been deleted and another
>> inserted.
>
>   Rowid are not automatically reassigned. You can reassign them, but only 
>manually.

I'm afraid this last item is inaccurate.  Rowids are not "assigned" either
manually or automatically, though "automatically" is closer to the truth.

It is correct that rowids represent the physical location of a row.  WIth
SE, it represents the offset of rows into the .dat file where the row can
be found.  With OnLine, it is a bitmapped value made up of a page number
and slot number.

The point here is that, as far as the data is concerned, a rowid is never
"assigned"; the data acquires a rowid when it is inserted into the table.
This rowid would be stored in an index if one exists on a table - it acts
as the pointer to the row.

Rowids can be reassigned, in a sense, by deleting a row and then inserting
a new row.  The new row is likely going to wind up in the location
vacated by the deleted row.  It would then have the same rowid as the
deleted row.  There is no way to guarantee that a row have a particular
rowid (though you can be clever enough to get it to happen in most cases).

It is a very bad idea to use rowids as keys in an Informix database for the
reason that they are reused.  Since  a rowid is a location value, you are
really violating the relational rules by using it to connect tables.  You
are much better off using a serial field, which is stored as a real column
in the row, and is independent of location.

Dave
-- 
Disclaimer: These opinions are not those of Informix Software, Inc.
**************************************************************************
The heart and the mind on a parallel course, never the two shall meet.
						-E. Saliers
From: dksl2vq@mt2.BELL-ATL.COM (Rory Martin)
Newsgroups: comp.databases.informix
Subject: Re: Rowid Question
Date: 28 Sep 92 00:58:02 GMT
Reply-To: dksl2vq@mt2.BELL-ATL.COM (Rory Martin)
X-Informix-List-ID: <list.1483>

> 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).
> 

The simple answer is...yes.  Rowids are simply physical positions within
the table.  They have no other relationship with a record.  They are also
reassigned within the same table if a record has been deleted and another
inserted.

-- 
Rory Martin                        Internet:  dksl2vq@bell-atl.com
Bell Atlantic Network Services     
2221-L Broadbirch Drive            Voice:  1+ (301) 989-5075
Silver Spring, MD 20904-1985       "No matter where you go, there you are."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: berner@diku.dk (Niels Berner)
Newsgroups: comp.databases.informix
Subject: Advice wanted: m4 and I4GL?
Summary: Q: How do you use m4 in conjunction with I4GL?
Keywords: m4 I4GL
Date: 2 Oct 92 11:22:45 GMT
Organization: Department of Computer Science, U of Copenhagen


Hey Netlanders.

If they are any of you outthere, who have any experience with m4 in
conjunction with informix, I would be happy to hear from you.

Any kind of advice, hints og pointers will help.

Please email to: berner@proinf.dk
Thanks in advance.
Niels Berner.
-- 
berner@proinf.dk:
Niels Berner. Pro Informatik. Jagtvej 111A. DK-2200  KBH N. Denmark.
From:  ()
Subject: Re: Rowid Question
Followup-To: comp.databases.informix
Organization: Bell-Northern Research, Ottawa, Canada
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1992 11:39:26 GMT

In article <9631@emory.mathcs.emory.edu>, dksl2vq@mt2.BELL-ATL.COM (Rory
Martin) wrote:
> 
> > 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).
> > 
> 
> The simple answer is...yes.  Rowids are simply physical positions within
> the table.  They have no other relationship with a record.  They are also
> reassigned within the same table if a record has been deleted and another
> inserted.

   Rowid are not automatically reassigned. You can reassign them, but only 
manually.
From: klonz@copper.denver.colorado.edu (K Lonz)
Newsgroups: comp.databases.informix
Subject: RowID Question (Part 2)
Date: 27 Sep 92 16:47:51 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of Colorado at Denver

Once again, my apologies to the veterans!

Many thanks to the varied responses I got, the most reasonable 
of which was that rowids are not sequential at all and don't 
necessarily start with 1.  They are probably created by using 
a memory paging scheme.


Therefore, my simple question may not be so simple:

	The current system uses SE. We are converting to Online 4.1.
	Both systems run on an Amdahl on a Unix kernel.  I don't
	know the rev number of the kernel.

	We are 'enhancing' the system to use joins on Online. Some
	tables will be modified to use joins to other tables instead 
	of keeping the same data in two different places.

	However, we need to compare records before and after the
	enhancements to show all data was retained using the joins.

	We need some mechanism to correlate records before and after.
	Originally, we thought we may be able to use rowids, but that 
	assumption appears to be bogus.

	Does anyone have any suggestions on how to correlate
	records before and after an 'unload' and a 'load'?


Again, thank you in advance for any responses!


							klonz
From: baskett@hermes1.sps.mot.com (Bob Baskett)
Newsgroups: comp.databases.informix
Subject: Re:  Unknown error message
Date: 1 Oct 92 04:58:06 GMT
Reply-To: baskett@hermes1.sps.mot.com (Bob Baskett)
X-Informix-List-ID: <list.1502>

Kristen,

after checking my notes, it appears that this error occurs when
the INFORMIXDIR environment var is not set.

good luck,

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bob Baskett
Motorola, Inc
Newsgroups: comp.databases.informix
From: shemminga@cix.compulink.co.uk (Stuart Hemming)
Subject: User defined functions in ACE
Reply-To: shemminga@cix.compulink.co.uk
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1992 11:59:00 +0000


Regular reader will know that I have been messing around with Audit
reports and Unix dates and stuff.

I now have the ability to create reports (in 4gl programs) in which I
call my own 'C' function to convert the unix date to an informix
DATETIME field.

Now what I would like to do is call this function from inside ACE.
I've had a look through the SQL manuals and can find nothing on this
subject. However, one of the include files
${INFORMIXDIR}/incl/ctools.h implies that this can be done.

I guess that I somehow have to re-compile sacego like I have to
re-compile fglgo for 4gl programs.

Can anyone tell me how this is done?

TIA

Stuart

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--------------------------------------------------------------
From: curt@emory.edu (Curt Stauffer)
Newsgroups: comp.databases.informix
Subject: Selecting Informix - Would you do it again?
Date: 6 Oct 92 13:10:00 GMT
Organization: Emory University

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.

Thank you in advance,
Curt
--
Curt Stauffer
Emory University Information Systems
Atlanta, GA
curt@emoryu1 (Bitnet)
curt@emory.edu (Internet)
From: bob@dmrinc.com (Bob Hadden)
Newsgroups: comp.databases.informix
Subject: Re: Help - Turbo hangs (2.1)
Date: 30 Sep 92 00:43:07 GMT
Reply-To: bob@dmrinc.com
X-Informix-List-ID: <list.1493>

------------
    
    PROBLEMS with the OLD TURBO (2.1) 


    Help, I have a big problem on one system with turbo (2.1, not
    the newer 4.1). After some operation, the system hangs with
    the following information:

    < DUMP OF TURBO STATUS REMOVED >

    Please help me if you can.........


It appears that your problem is that you have run out of
LOCKS!  When you Initialized Turbo for the First time, one
of your shared memory parameters was to allocate the total
number of locks that the Turbo Engine can use on the system.

Solution - 1) If you have a very long transaction, that changes
the data in many records, then it is better to lock the
tables in Exclusive mode. ( Unfortunately Share mode locking
with the old version of Turbo will not eliminate the
problem).
	2) You could re-initialize shared memory, and add more
locks.  Unfortunately, as your database grows, you will
probably exceed this limit again in the future.

---------
From: "rick menaul" <rick.menaul@channel1.com>
Newsgroups: comp.databases.informix
Subject: hosp. census database
Date: 1 Oct 92 23:39:12 EST
Reply-To: "rick menaul" <rick.menaul@channel1.com>
Distribution: comp
Organization: Channel 1 Communications

I would like to know how to acquire the Hospital Census Database.

I believe it can be accessed through IQuest on CompuServe, but
where can I get my own copy on disk?

                             -= Rick Menaul =-
                                Boston, Massachusetts
              Internet address: rick.menaul@channel1.com
---
  DeLuxe 1.20 #5318  
--
Channel 1 (R)   Cambridge, MA
From: zellich@STL-07SIMA.ARMY.MIL (Rich Zellich)
Newsgroups: comp.databases.informix
Subject: Error code 459
Date: 30 Sep 92 13:13:07 GMT
Reply-To: zellich@STL-07SIMA.ARMY.MIL (Rich Zellich)
X-Informix-List-ID: <list.1495>

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
Newsgroups: comp.databases.informix
From: forney@esd.dl.nec.com (Elizabeth (Liz) J. Forney)
Subject: List of Databases Known to OnLine version 5.0
Organization: NEC America, Engineering & Support
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1992 14:42:40 GMT

A few months ago, there was a discussion on the net concerning getting a
list of databases known to Online using the function sqgetdbs.   This
function is not available in Online version 5.0.  Does anyone know how to
replicate the same functionality in Online 5.0?  

Any ideas or hints will be greatly appreciated!

Liz Forney,
Software Engineer
NEC America, Inc.
From: davek@informix.com (David Kosenko)
Newsgroups: comp.databases.informix
Subject: Re: usage of the dbexport.
Date: 30 Sep 92 15:47:08 GMT
Organization: Informix Software, Inc.

In article <9655@emory.mathcs.emory.edu> mana-s@ascii.co.jp (Manabu Shimohira) writes:
>
>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.

I didn't email this as I'm sure there is some general interest in the
topic.

The answer has several parts.  First, and I think most important, is that
logs cannot be applied to a database restored via dbimport.  So your
backup is a static picture of the database at a particular moment in time.
If it is sufficient to restore your system to that point only, then
dbexport may be an appropriate choice for backup for you.  However, the
secondf part is that dbexport takes a long time and locks the database
while it does its work.  This means that you cannot access any data until
the export is complete.  Again, if this is acceptable for your application,
then dbexport may be the right choice.  If you are using OnLine, you 
probably want to minimize downtime, so the OnLine backup utilities will be
more useful, since the allow on-line archiving as well as full restoration
from logs.  If you are using SE, then you would use a Unix backup utility.
Again, if you are not using a log (or don't need to recover xactions
from the time of the last backup to the time of the crash), then dbexport
may be ok.  Bear in mind that it will take longer than a dd (for example)
and it will take longer to restore the database, should you need to (again,
compared to dd or equivalent).

Dave
-- 
Disclaimer: These opinions are not those of Informix Software, Inc.
**************************************************************************
The heart and the mind on a parallel course, never the two shall meet.
						-E. Saliers
Newsgroups: comp.databases.informix
From: "kenneth cheng" <kenneth.cheng@canrem.com>
Subject: beta testers wanted
Reply-To: "kenneth cheng" <kenneth.cheng@canrem.com>
Organization: Canada Remote Systems
Distribution: comp
Date: 1 Oct 92 22:45:11 EST

-> I've got a shareware database engine, kinda similar in implementation
-> to Informix's earlier stuff... it's ready for the next release, but
-> I'd like to try it out by beta first.  As it's just an engine
-> (little-to-no front

I wouldn't mind beta testing your database engine as long as it is a SQL
implementation.  You could ship the kit to:

Kenneth Cheng
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce
22 Front St W., 10th fl,
Toronto, Ontario
M5L 1A2
Canada


Thanks.

KC
--
Canada Remote Systems  - Toronto, Ontario
World's Largest PCBOARD System - 416-629-7000/629-7044
From: fcook@STL-07SIMA.ARMY.MIL ("SGT Frank D. Cook")
Newsgroups: comp.databases.informix
Subject: [Ken C.:  INFORMIX error code -154]
Date: 1 Oct 92 15:23:15 GMT
Reply-To: fcook@STL-07SIMA.ARMY.MIL ("SGT Frank D. Cook")
X-Informix-List-ID: <list.1503>


----- Forwarded message # 1:

Received: from stepsun by 0.STL-07SIMA.ARMY.MIL id aa09628; 1 Oct 92 7:39 CDT
Date:     Thu, 1 Oct 92 8:42:56 CDT
From:     "Ken C." <kconnor@STEPSUN.ARMY.MIL>
To:       fcook@STEPSUN.ARMY.MIL
cc:       zellich@STEPSUN.ARMY.MIL
Subject:  INFORMIX error code -154

Frank,

   Here is the info you requested:

We have an application written using ESQL/C and INFORMIX on-line.  We have
noticed that when an several processes , all in transactions, try to 
update the same row of a table the update fails and INFORMIX error code
-154 is returned.  Further, the SET LOCK MODE WAIT TO 120 statement is 
used but the -154 is returned immedidately.  INFORMIX has informed
us that the -154 error is the wrong error code, but has not been able
to provide any more insight. 

NOTE:

At first I thought deadlocks were being detected and the -154 was
incorrectly being returned.  However, after forcing a deadlock in a 
test situation the -154 went away and the correct error code was returned. 


-----End of forwarded messages
From: baskett@hermes1.sps.mot.com (Bob Baskett)
Newsgroups: comp.databases.informix
Subject: Re: RowID Question (Part 2)
Date: 30 Sep 92 14:28:09 GMT
Reply-To: baskett@hermes1.sps.mot.com (Bob Baskett)
X-Informix-List-ID: <list.1497>

thomas,

}>I think that what you want to be cdone can be done.  Here's
}>some pseudocode:
}>        
}>        alter table tab adding column id of type int;
}> 
}>        insert into tab(id) 
}>                select rowid from tab;
}>        
}>        alter table tab, modify id to type serial;
}>
}>        create unique index ix on tab(id);
}>
}>        unload tab from old_db;
}>        load tab into new_db;
}>
}>
}>This gives you the tie between old and new databases, but requires
}>you modify inserts to have a 0 in the id column (this triggers an
}>insert of the next serial value).
}>
}>Sorry, no manual handy, syntax stinks!
}>

if no updating is going on while attempting to verify the data,
the following unload would work without altering the table:

unload to "ascii.file"
select rowid,*
from   tab;

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bob Baskett
Motorola, Inc.
Newsgroups: comp.databases.informix
Subject: CISAM transactions question
From: russell@ccu1.aukuni.ac.nz (Russell Fulton)
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 1992 20:16:52 GMT
Organization: University of Auckland, New Zealand.

I want to know if there is any way to get around the requirement that a
CISAM transaction must include the open and close of the database.
(Bottom of page 5-7 CISAM manual) "It is very important that you open
and close the file within the transaction."

The problem is that I have some updates that are essentially serial in
nature and affect large numbers of records in two files. Ideally I want
to read serially through one file and update it and another. For each
record in the first file there are several updates that form a
'transaction'. If I have to open and close the file for each transaction
this is going to be *very* slow. Quite apart from the question "how do I
read serially on an index when I have to close the file after every
read?"

The only way I see of doing this at all is to read serially through the
file caching the keys of the records I want. Then going back over the
list of keys to perform the actual transactions.

Any other ideas?

Thanks, Russell.
-- 
Russell Fulton, Computer Center, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
<rj_fulton@aukuni.ac.nz>
Newsgroups: comp.databases.informix
From: richid@owlnet.rice.edu (Richard Parvin Jernigan)
Subject: Beta testers wanted
Organization: Rice University
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1992 07:45:04 GMT

I've got a shareware database engine, kinda similar in implementation to
Informix's earlier stuff... it's ready for the next release, but I'd like
to try it out by beta first.  As it's just an engine (little-to-no front
end; picture yourself stuck with just enter2 and lots of code), I'm looking
for programmers to beta-test; there shouldn't be any programming involved,
but I'd like to have the safety net in case I've totally broken the package.

The thing should be portable directly to DOS, Sun, SysV, HP, Mac, NeXT; just
about anything, though it's not set up for Windows (simple mods).  It's also
really, really small.  But, more importantly, it's free (unless you like
sending me money).

If you'd like to beta-test, reply to this and I'll ship you a kit.  Please
don't reply after October 3rd; I've gotta ship this thing some time.

Richid
-- 
Things you don't hear on Star Trek:                  (richid@owlnet.rice.edu)
   "Uhura, I'm scared."
   "Shut her down, Scotty--she's suckin' mud."
   "Dammit Spock, that's the fifteenth NutterButter you've eaten today!"
From: yslas@riverauswest.com ( Rob Yslas)
Newsgroups: comp.databases.informix
Subject: keeping blanks out of the data
Keywords: blanks,nulls
Date: 5 Oct 92 20:28:59 GMT
Organization: U S WEST Advanced Technologies

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
From: mtrotter@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Mark L Trotter)
Newsgroups: comp.databases.informix
Subject: Perform data ordering
Summary: forcing the display order of a query
Keywords: query, order, perform
Date: 28 Sep 92 14:21:38 GMT
Followup-To: comp.databases.informix
Organization: The Ohio State University

Hello networld!
  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.
Thanks for any help!!!!
!------------------------------------------------------------------------!
! "In these uncertain times, one must think of others' viewpoints, and   !
! always remember that a crowded elevator smells different to a midget." !
!        Mark Trotter @ The Ohio State University Graduate School        !
!     voice 614/292-6031  FAX 614/292-3656  BITNET trotter.1@osu.edu     !
!------------------------------------------------------------------------!
From: ah690549@mbcr.bcm.tmc.edu (Annette C. Hollmann)
Newsgroups: comp.databases
Subject: Re: Borland's Object Vision and Paradox
Date: 27 Sep 1992 07:19:11 GMT
Organization: Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Tx

In article <92255.182937U18306@uicvm.uic.edu> U18306@uicvm.uic.edu (Lawrence Isaac) writes:
>I have to set up a patient database for a research project at my university.
>Since I know very little about databases, I need to pick one that:
>
>1. can be learnt quickly
>2. requires the least programming (can be programmed through point & click
>   menus)
>3. takes advantage of Windows 3.1 features- OLE, etc.
>4. requires very little intelligence of the end-user
>5. puts pretty icons on the screen like Windows programs
>6. and you can create lengthy (but simple) forms and reports with.
>
>Speed is not particulary important.
>
>2. Is there some other database program that might be better in this case
>
>I realize that this may not be a question that a lot of people are interested
>in. If you prefer, you can mail me directly at:
>
(some segments deleted so my post won't bounce)

I also have to set up a patient database for a MS-DOS/Windows environment.
Last year I switched from DOS to Mac but will still hack around in
anything that is not locked up (or not well enough locked up ;-)
The database requires two formats:

1. The standard "Address Book" type format
2. A tree, which supplies data that will go into some fields in the adress
book.
Basically, that would be like creating fields within fields.

If there are no Dos/Windows compatible databases that can handle this, is
there something that is the equivalent of Macintosh hypercard?

If all else fails, is there software that will create a BASIC environment

Because at least two people (and possibly more who don't post) are
interested, please post instead of email.

Annette

P.S. This database will be used by a friend who is so computer illiterate
that she doesn't even know (yet) that this net exists. So it must be user
friendly.