Writing a data-base...
Ken Nelson
nelson at wrl.epi.com
Tue Jun 11 22:05:08 AEST 1991
In article <1991Jun7.213947.5328 at ux1.cso.uiuc.edu>, andy at honda.ece.uiuc.edu (Andy Bereson) writes:
> I need to write a simple database manager for a large database. We have
> tried dBase but have decided that it (and PC's in general) are too
> unreliable, so we are now looking for a way to do this with a UNIX based
> system on one of our HP workstations. I have writen a such a database
> system before in C, but under the VMS operating system. VMS gives the C
> programmer access to a number of exciting functions that can handle
> indexing files, random access of files, deleting and editing records in
> the middle of files, locking individual records within files, etc... all
> of the function that a data-base package such as dBase gives you.
> Unfortunatly, these functions were all built into VMS and are VMS
> specific. I am wondering if there is some UNIX based package or UNIX
> library that would be helpful with some of these file manipulation tasks.
>
> Please mail responses directly to me at "bereson at cs.uiuc.edu". I do not
> read this newsgroup regularly and so I am likely to miss your helpful
> suggestions otherwise.
>
> Thanx in advance for your help...
>
> Andy
We are in the same boat. I found that all of the 4GL vendors
wanted an arm and a leg for their products. Below is a summary
of "lower cost" solutions to the problem.
Public Domain/Net sources:
- dbm (ndbm) (gdbm) - Unix quick file look up routines.
dbm, ndbm come with most Unixes.
gdbm is GNU dbm. The main problem
with [ng]dbm is that it doesn't support
sequenced lookup of data, it's basically
a fast lookup from a key.
- various archives (postgres at berkeley.edu) for instance have
ingres89.tar.Z - University Ingres
take a look at embedded quel.
postgresv2.1.tar.Z - Postgres relational db. Nice features
including a C library interface.
Too bad it caused my 4/280 to crash.
bsd_database.tar.Z - a set different access mechanisims
for storing data to disk. I believe
it has btree, avl, etc...
I recommend trying the archie at cs.mcgill.ca archive listing
server to look for source for these.
Commercial:
- Raima offers dbVista (Networked database), dbFile (ISAM)
3k to 14k for source.
- Faircom offers CTREE, DTREE, RTREE.
I had trouble with this package at my last job.
2k to 6k for source
- Informix offers C-ISAM
Price unknown, check Unixworld for companies selling clones of
this package.
- Recital offers full dbase IV compatability along with a C
library to manipulate Dbase format indexes and files. We chose
this because we could implement OpenLook interface tools with
the C library, and do quick and dirty reporting with Dbase language
and tools.
4 to 6k for full Dbase environment plus development library.
You have to buy runtimes for your users.
- Cdb from Jaybe Software is an inexpensive package with a
lot of features. Call (602) 327-2299. I almost got this
one, but we weren't that strapped for cash and the reporting
abilities (and Dbase) of Recital were very enticing.
$695
Hope this helps a little.
--
--------------------------------------------------------------------
| Ken Nelson (nelson at wrl.epi.com) | No thoughts today, sorry. |
| Computer Systems Manager | |
| Entropic Research Laboratory | |
| Washington, D.C. | |
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