Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!rutgers!im4u!woton!riddle From: riddle@woton.UUCP (Prentiss Riddle ) Newsgroups: comp.databases Subject: Informix-SQL "dbconvert" doesn't work Keywords: Standard Informix, Informix-SQL, conversion, sob story Message-ID: <1013@woton.UUCP> Date: 14 Dec 87 20:31:26 GMT Organization: Shriners Burns Institute, Galveston Lines: 28 Sub-G-Convert: "Bob" In the course of experimenting with a trial copy of Informix-SQL, I just learned something unpleasant: On the basis of a paper we got some time back from RDS called "A Comparative Analysis of Standard Informix and Informix-SQL," we had been operating under the assumption that converting our databases from old Informix to Informix-SQL would be a pretty easy job. The paper describes a program called "dbconvert" which is supposed to automate the job of converting the schemas and data. Well, after a couple of weeks of struggling to use dbconvert I finally called RDS and was told that it is buggy and we shouldn't use it. Instead they suggest that we dump our data to ASCII text files, build new schemas by hand, and reload the data. This is unfortunate news on two counts: the recommended procedure is a lengthy, troublesome process and basically the same one we would have to go through to move data between two completely different DBMSs put out by different companies, so it essentially eliminates the big advantage we thought came with sticking to Informix; and secondly, if dbconvert is buggy, it makes me wonder what else is wrong with Informix-SQL. Luckily we haven't yet bought the product... --- Prentiss Riddle ("Aprendiz de todo, maestro de nada.") --- Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Shriners Burns Institute. --- riddle@woton.UUCP {ihnp4,harvard}!ut-sally!im4u!woton!riddle