dBase indexes corrupting

[Frank M. Cook]

We have one user who is getting frequent dBase index corruptions. He's on a
small peer to peer network. The program is installed on the server but we
have the BDE installed on each workstation with the alias configured to read
the data from the server. I know Bill Todd has directions on his website to
change ini files so that every user will use the single BDE from the server.
How likely is it that if we go through the trouble of changing his
configuration it will make the database more stable?

[David Harper]

Post by Frank M. Cook
We have one user who is getting frequent dBase index corruptions. He's on
a small peer to peer network. The program is installed on the server but
we have the BDE installed on each workstation with the alias configured to
read the data from the server. I know Bill Todd has directions on his
website to change ini files so that every user will use the single BDE
from the server. How likely is it that if we go through the trouble of
changing his configuration it will make the database more stable?

Having the BDE software on the server will not improve stability of the
data. It is only for convenience and ease of management.

Are you sure each workstation's BDE is configured correctly? In the
FormCreate of my apps I check to make sure the BDE Config Parameters are set
correctly for that workstation.

\SYSTEM\INIT\LOCAL SHARE=TRUE
\SYSTEM\INIT\LANGDRIVER='DBWINUS0' This is 'ascii'' ANSI
\DRIVERS\DBASE\TABLE CREATE\LEVEL='5' Although, my notes say this might
should be '4'! This is to prevent memo/DBT file corruption, especially DBT
files suddenly growing to enormous sizes.
\DRIVERS\DBASE\INIT\LANGDRIVER='DBWINUS0'

- David Harper

[Frank M. Cook]

Post by David Harper
Are you sure each workstation's BDE is configured correctly? In the

this is a one user problem out of hundreds. not that other users don't have
occasional problems but this user has frequent ones. it could be they are
just a heavier user though. in the past when we had problem users we
advised them to turn off windows disk write caching. this user has a raid
drive on the server and their consultant is unwilling to turn off caching.
I was hoping that using a central BDE might help. I'll wait for an opinion
from Bill.

Post by David Harper
\DRIVERS\DBASE\TABLE CREATE\LEVEL='5' Although, my notes say this might
should be '4'! This is to prevent memo/DBT file corruption, especially
DBT files suddenly growing to enormous sizes.

hmmm, we do have that problem. we're going to have to look into that
setting. however, it's a separable problem from what this user is
experiencing. we've been using 7 and we use a copy of visual dBase 7 to
create the empty files which we distribute. anyone have opinions on that?

[Rodney Wise]

Frank,

Opportunistic Locking and Write Behind Cache MUST BE TURNED OFF.... also
something to consider, Network issues (Hardware) can be the cause.

If the Local IT Guy will not turn of the Opportunistic Locking and Write
Behind Cache.... then I'd recommend telling him that he needs to set up a
separate Server just for the BDE files (not really that expensive) or his
problems will continue.

[Frank M. Cook]

Post by Rodney Wise
Opportunistic Locking and Write Behind Cache MUST BE TURNED OFF.... also

I'm familiar with the write cache setting in hardware properties but not
opportunistic locking. what is that and where is it set?

Post by Rodney Wise
something to consider, Network issues (Hardware) can be the cause.

yes, we suspect a bad workstation.

[Rodney Wise]

Frank,

Look up "Opportunistic Locking" in the MS Knowledge base. It can be managed
in several different ways... depending on the OS Version and even the
Hardware (ie; if the HD is a SCSII drive). Opportunistic Locking can (and
will) mess up your BDE's Locking routines.... If you use a Linux Server,
then SAMBA is where you adjust it.

[Steven Green]

Post by Rodney Wise
Look up "Opportunistic Locking" in the MS Knowledge base.

on my website.. URL Links page, on the top of the Links page.. there are
links to MS, Novell, and Linux KB articles..

--
Steven Green - Waldorf Maryland USA

Diamond Software Group
http://www.diamondsg.com/main.htm
Paradox Support & Sales

Diamond Sports Gems
http://www.diamondsg.com/gemsmain.htm
Sports Memorabilia and Trading Cards

Post by Rodney Wise
Frank,
Look up "Opportunistic Locking" in the MS Knowledge base. It can be
managed in several different ways... depending on the OS Version and even
the Hardware (ie; if the HD is a SCSII drive). Opportunistic Locking can
(and will) mess up your BDE's Locking routines.... If you use a Linux
Server, then SAMBA is where you adjust it.
--
...
`·.žž.·Ž¯`·.žž.·Ž¯`·-> rodney

[Bill Todd]

I'll wait for an opinion from Bill.

I am not sure what you want an opinion on.<g> I have never been a dBase
file user so I can not comment on dBase issues. Disk write caching on
the server is only an issue if the server crashes. One possibility is a
network hardware problem (bad cable, router, switch, NIC). The
vulnerability of file server databases to network problemis is one of
the biggest reason that most developers have switched to database
servers for multi-user apps.

The BDE runs on each workstation. I makes no difference whether the BDE
files are on the local workstation or on the server. The BDE executes
on the workstation so every workstation directly writes to the database
files. That is why file server databases are so sensitive to network
problems.

[Hubert Anemaat]

Hello Frank,

I had this problem since Clipper.
In my applications, the first application that starts in the network
deletes the existing indexes and creates new ones.

I had also problems with the memo in Level=3 when the user makes the
memo empty, the memofile gets corrupted. I added some code so that there
is minimal one space.

It is better to move to Paradox. I am making now the move to Firebird.
However I run into some problems when there are new Delphi releases.

Hubert Anemaat

Post by Frank M. Cook
We have one user who is getting frequent dBase index corruptions. He's on a
small peer to peer network. The program is installed on the server but we
have the BDE installed on each workstation with the alias configured to read
the data from the server. I know Bill Todd has directions on his website to
change ini files so that every user will use the single BDE from the server.
How likely is it that if we go through the trouble of changing his
configuration it will make the database more stable?

[Frank M. Cook]

<It is better to move to Paradox>

thanks, but if we move from dBase, we're moving from the BDE entirely.
Paradox wouldn't help long term.