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Jim Reynolds (reynolds@ece.vill.edu)
Sat, 7 Sep 1996 22:39:05 -0400 (EDT) 

From: reynolds@ece.vill.edu (Jim Reynolds)
Message-Id: <199609080239.WAA06175@vu-vlsi.ee.vill.edu>
Subject: [mSQL] A few miscellaneous questions...
Date: Sat, 7 Sep 1996 22:39:05 -0400 (EDT)

miserable time with MS-SQL Server. I don't really need a database program,
but I do need a query interface to extract data from tables I'm using.
So far, mSQL looks like it will do the job!

   A couple of questions and concerns:

   I'm not sure I completly agree with the way mSQL handles strings that
are longer than the maximum defined length. Currently, an insert will
fail if a string is too long. IMHO, the string should be truncated to
fit. Or, at least, truncation should be an option. I'm thinking about
making a quick and dirty hack to the source-- am I opening the doors to
all kinds of problems down the road?

   This real number "bug" concerns me. If I insert a 2.5 into the
database, sometimes it might print out as 2.50000000001. Not only does it
screw up the output columinization, but it could possibly mess up a query
too. Why is this behavior so sporadic? Aside from storing the real as a
character, is there any way around this? I did check the current FAQ,
and didn't see anything mentioned about it. My goal is to store monetary
amounts as reals, and do comparasions with (>), (<), and (=). Maybe even
some multiplication too. I can't do this with char-type or ints.

   I won't be doing the traditional database joins and what-not that most
people do. I have some giant tables (some < 1MB and some near 100MB) that
I'd like to extract information from. Rearrange columns, multiply columns
to get a new column, print out entries between a certain range of dates,
etc... will this take forever on a 100MB file? I'll be running it on a
170Mhz. Ultra under Solaris 2.5.1.

So far, mSQL has looked very promising. Great import utility-- exactly
what I was looking for! And an easy to use SQL interface. How will it
stand up to the larger tables?

Are there any other programs out there, shareware or commercial, that
process large ASCII data files? Can anyone offer a comparasion of gdbm
vs. mSQL. I mean, obviously there is no SQL language to gdbm, but other
than that is it something I should look into further?

Thanks for your time. Any help would be appreciated.

Jim.
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