An IMAGE/SQL database enhancement is on the way that will make e3000 databases more compatible with PC reporting tools and PC databases. But attendees at the SIGIMAGE meeting at SIG 3000 learned that database administrators will have to migrate key database information files as soon as the enhancement is installed on e3000s.

Tien-You Chen of the HP’s database labs told SIGIMAGE attendees the DATEFIX enhancement for IMAGE/SQL, known as the Eggroll Project, will let customers mitigate date formats to those acceptable for PC tools, especially through ODBC access. DATEFIX uses the UPDATE TYPE and SPLIT commands in the database attach process to map to 17 different date types. However, the version of IMAGE/SQL that provides this capability also requires a database administrator to migrate the ATCINFO file. And the migration must take place before any access is allowed to the database.

Chen, and others at the meeting, raised concerns that the enhanced version of IMAGE/SQL would be installed — and then the first time a problem would surface with the ATCINFO file would be upon access from a PC tool. Commands from IMAGE/SQL will tell an administrator if ATCINFO needs to be migrated. Migration of the file is simple, according to instructions at the presentation:

:run imagesql.pub.sys
>dbe yourdbe
>migrate