nelson@wrl.epi.com (Ken Nelson) (06/11/91)
In article <1991Jun7.213947.5328@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu>, andy@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@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@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@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@wrl.epi.com) | No thoughts today, sorry. | | Computer Systems Manager | | | Entropic Research Laboratory | | | Washington, D.C. | | |--------------------------------------------------------------------
nelson@wrl.epi.com (Ken Nelson) (06/12/91)
Another netter told me I made a mistake in my previous postings with regard to anon ftp and telnet addresses. Boy did I ever. > - various archives (postgres@berkeley.edu) for instance have anon ftp to postgres.berkeley.edu (The @ was a mistake) This site has ingres, postgres and bsd_db. > I recommend trying the archie@cs.mcgill.ca archive listing > server to look for source for these. telnet to quiche.cs.mcgill.ca, login in as "archie", no password. This drops you into McGill's archive listing database. Do this command: prog postgres or prog ingres or prog bsd_database and you will get a rather large listing of anon ftp sites that have it. Try postgres.berkely.edu first, it has what I mentioned. -- -------------------------------------------------------------------- | Ken Nelson (nelson@wrl.epi.com) | No thoughts today, sorry. | | Computer Systems Manager | | | Entropic Research Laboratory | | | Washington, D.C. | | |--------------------------------------------------------------------