We are using Delphi 2010 and we want to convert our clients databases from ANSI to Unicode on the next major release we will be launching.

The transition must be painless for the user. The clients will import their previous databases to the new program.
I thought it would be possible to do that easily, by opening the old database on a Unicode version of ElevateDB and convert it, or by restoring a backup. But I don't find any way of doing it like that. So I thought I may be possible to add two different ElevateDB versions to the application, and convert the data record by record or something like that... Is this possible?

Any suggestions on a way to do that conversion, as transparent as possible to the user?

Thank you!

Antonio


I don't think you can have ansi and unicode in the same app. What you could do is build two small helper apps and shell out to the first one (ansi) - that would export the tables, the second app (unicode) would then import them.

I think it will work but haven't tried it.

Roy Lambert [Team Elevate]

Export into something intermediate and re-import back in is the only way to go AFAIK. EDB natively supports CSV files so that should work fine but you will need to make utilities/automate the process so its easier on user.

David Cornelius wrote a good blog article about the process here  :  http://corneliusconcepts.com/mega_update_2

Search newsgroup also for any tips as there are some migration posts.

Raul


<<
Antonio Marques wrote:

Any suggestions on a way to do that conversion, as transparent as possible to the user?
>>

Ok, that was one of the ways we thought here too. One mini app to do the export to csv or xml, and the main app do the conversion/import.

Thank you Roy and Raul!

Antonio

What would happen if you used EDB to generate an insert script for the whole DB?

This can be done programmatically & generates 'friendly' SQL as far as I know.

Once you have the INSERT statement it is just a text file. You can call it against the UNICODE version of the DB & it should insert smoothly ... I think

Adam


Your suggestion will work, and has been recommended several times, however, if export & import works it should be a much simpler solution to programme.

Roy Lambert [Team Elevate]

Adam,

<< What would happen if you used EDB to generate an insert script for the
whole DB? >>

I wouldn't recommend this for very large databases, since you'll probably
blow the memory usage out of the water in the process.  The safest method is
to create the database as Unicode, and then import all of the ANSI export
files into the tables.

--
Tim Young
Elevate Software
www.elevatesoft.com