Raul wrote:

>  "Keep Calm and Carry On"

Indeed. I'm not sure if I've raised this before, but I think it worth
pondering how a familiar user is affected by this - and whether a UI
change can be made to improve it. Even if it is a "connect to database"
dialog which just allows a file browser to find the EDBCfg file and
then fills in the existing folder and leaves you with the rest to fill
in (picking up anything it can, perhaps after prompting for the
password). I'd feel a lot more comfortable that way.

--

Matthew Jones

Matthew


Why not write yourself a small utility which when a .EDBCfg file is clicked opens edbmgr.ini, checks if your config file / path are in there, if not adds basic details and then launches EDBManager?


Roy Lambert

Roy Lambert wrote:

> Why not write yourself a

You're suggesting I do work? Sheesh!



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Matthew Jones

Matthew,

If we start from the beginning then it might be clearer.

The configuration database (normally located in the file EDBConfig.EDBCfg) stores information such as:
* databases that have been defined
* stores
* users
* jobs
* user roles

The session is a connection from an application (in this case EDB Manager) to your databases.  The session defines information such as:
* the configuration file that is storing your database, stores, users and other information
* connection time out
* is it a remote or local session
* row lock parameters

You can have multiple sessions all pointing to the same configuration file and they will all show the same databases, stores, jobs and users.

The session needs to know where to find the configuration file and it only needs to do it once.  It will be there next time you open EDB Manager.  The session is only a connection - nothing is hurt, damaged or removed irrespective of what you do to a session.

If you open create a new local session in EDB Manager then you need to specify the configuration file.

If you create a new remote session then you specify the required configuration file by running Elevate DB Server program as an application.

This is explained in the ElevateDB Help manual in the section Configuring and Starting the ElevateDB Server.

So - you do not need to do any extra work.

Richard

Richard Harding wrote:

> The session needs to know where to find the configuration file and it
> only needs to do it once.  It will be there next time you open EDB
> Manager.  The session is only a connection - nothing is hurt, damaged
> or removed irrespective of what you do to a session.
> ...
> So - you do not need to do any extra work.

Thank you for the detailed explanation. The one caveat I would add is
that if I create a session, and the configuration files don't exist
already, it will create them (not sure at what point). That is the
source of my fear - am I creating a new set, or are the existing files
safe? It is plain that it is all safe, but I hope you can see my
situation (and I've been doing this for some years now - it is the fact
it is on a live server that made me pause...).

--

Matthew Jones

Richard


Very nice explanation - especially the bit about multiple sessions pointing to a single configuration file - I do that a lot but had forgotten.

Roy Lambert

Matthew

>Thank you for the detailed explanation. The one caveat I would add is
>that if I create a session, and the configuration files don't exist
>already, it will create them (not sure at what point).

When you open the session - its a bit like with tables - the files that comprise tables are created when you open the table IF AND ONLY IF they don't exist already.

Roy Lambert

Roy Lambert wrote:

>  the files that comprise tables are created when you open the table
> IF AND ONLY IF they don't exist already.

I know that, you know that, but does EDB? 8-)

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Matthew Jones

Hi Matthew

<<The one caveat I would add is that if I create a session, and the configuration files don't exist already, it will create them (not sure at what point). That is the source of my fear - am I creating a new set>>

I am not sure what you mean by "create them".  There is only one Configuration File associated to a session.

If you create a new session, you need to define the Configuration File (normally EDBConfig.EDBCfg).  There is no plural - only one configuration file (or Configuration DB).

If the Configuration File already exists, you will see the existing Databases, Jobs, Stores, Users and Roles.

If the Configuration File  does not exist, it creates a new Configuration File with the required tables such as Databases, Jobs, Stores, Users and Roles tables.  The "tables" and "stores" tables will be empty.  The Users and Roles tables will have the 2 prededefined entries.

You can then create a new database.  You need to specify the folder where the database exists.  If the database catalog file is present (EDBDatabase.EDBCat) this will show the existing tables, view, functions and procedures.

If the database catalog file is absent, a new database catalog file is created.  You can then create new tables, view, functions and procedures for the database that you have just created.


The system information tables are described in EDB2 SQL Reference in the System Information section.
There are 2 System information tables:
* Configuration - a database containing tables of Databases, Jobs, Stores, Users and Roles and other stuff.
* Catalog - one for each database - the Catalog is a database that contains tables of tables, view, functions and procedures and other stuff.

SO - you create, connect, disconnect and delete sessions and your data is safe.

Play around before you do anything just so you are completely convinced.

Richard

I said in the last post that there are 2 System information tables.  Wrong.

There are 2 System Information databases which contains lots of tables.

Richard.