Hi,

the String Data Type for DBISAM 4 tables is limited to 512 chars.
I urgently need at least 1024 chars (more would be even better).

Will this limitation be overcome in a further DBISAM version?
Memo fields aren't an alternative because I have to edit the field
inside the DBGrid.

Thank you and best wishes,
Markus

I imagine that DBISAM isn't going to change a lot. I see that ElevateDB supports
1024 character CHAR columns.

I must investigate migrating sometime...

/Matthew Jones/

On 3/5/2014 4:13 PM, Markus Gnam wrote:
> the String Data Type for DBISAM 4 tables is limited to 512 chars.
> I urgently need at least 1024 chars (more would be even better).
> Will this limitation be overcome in a further DBISAM version?

Highly doubtful at this point. The size was increased from 250 to 512
when v4 was introduced so it's a system limit.

Tim has the final word so either way til he replies in here or send a
support email for quicker response.

> Memo fields aren't an alternative because I have to edit the field
> inside the DBGrid.

Grid would be a bit tricky. On a regular form you could cheat and use a
non-data bound edit control that you populate with code on dataset
record changes and save to dataset whenever record is posted. Not sure
if you can do that with the grid you're using.

Raul

Markus


In addition to what the others say its easy to allow editing of memo fields "in" a DBGrid, however, displaying the data is far more difficult since you have to override the cell drawing. Editing generally consists of displaying a DBMemo when the cell is clicked/double-clicked or right-clicked. I'm not sure I fancy trying to edit a 1024 character string as a single line in a grid anyway.

If you want a freeware DBGrid that does allow editing of memo fields have a look at Mike Skolnik's grid (http://www.scalabium.com/). Follow the links for freeware. My own DBGrid was based on Mike's.

Roy Lambert

Hello Roy,

thank you very much. Yes, displaying and editing the memo field should behave exactly like a String field inside the DBGrid. I use the Delphi 7 default DBGrid. Probably it isn't possible to work with Memo fields as convenient as with String fields inside a DBGrid. Most times the field values I use have a size significantly less than 1024 characters but in rare cases they can get up to about 1000 characters.

Thank you also to Raul and Matthew. I'll try all your hints and suggestions, including the Scalabium DBGrid.
This is a great Support Forum, I appreciate it.

Best wishes,
Markus

Markus,

<< Memo fields aren't an alternative because I have to edit the field inside
the DBGrid. >>

You can edit memo fields in a TDBGrid.  Download this installation:

http://www.elevatesoft.com/download?action=info&category=edb&type=edbadd&majorversion=2&version=2.16

and look at the main.pas unit for the ElevateDB Manager
(\utils\edbmgr\win32\source).  Specifically, the GetBlobText and SetBlobText
methods.

The only tricky part is what to do about any embedded CRLFs and other
non-printables.  Of course, if you don't allow these into the fields in the
first place, then the rest is a lot easier.

Tim Young
Elevate Software
www.elevatesoft.com