Databases - Firebird - Basic Operations

This is just to get you started.

To simply open and explore existing tables, use Database Explorer - this allows you to view data and create new tables.

Create a Database

Use ISQL to create a new database (*.fdb file) - either the command line or the windows version.

To open the Windows version, use either of these

Start / Programs / Interbase / Interbase Windows ISQL
From the Database Explorer menu, select Object / ISQL... - displayed only when a SQL database is selected (hint - click on an Interbase / Firebird alias name first).

Use File / Create Database... or the related toolbar button.

When creating a new database (*.fdb file) on a remote computer, place the remote computer's name in Server and a fully qualified path (including the drive letter) in Database. (The minimum file size is 568K.)

Add/Delete a User

Open the Server Manager via

Start / Programs / Interbase / Server Manager

(I can't get it to connect either locally or remotely. There appears to be a problem using this Interbase tool with Firebird.)

(See Tutorial.pdf for full instructions.)

Basic Command Line Techniques

Only the command line tools come with Firebird, the Windows tools come with Interbase (which comes with Delphi).

Quick Start: Firebird on Windows provides the following basic command line techniques

Change the "sysdba" password - use GSEC
Add a new user - use GSEC

Explore a database - use ISQL

  "C:\Program Files\FireBird\bin\isql.exe" 
            "C:\Program Files\FireBird\examples\employee.gdb" -u sysdba -p pwd
  SQL> SHOW TABLES;
  SQL> SELECT * FROM countries;
  SQL> EXIT;

Create a new database - use ISQL

 "C:\Program Files\FireBird\bin\isql.exe"
  SQL> CREATE DATABASE 'httplogs.gdb' USER 'vsbabu' PASSWORD 'vsb';
  SQL> CREATE TABLE states (state_code VARCHAR(2) NOT NULL PRIMARY KEY, 
         state_name VARCHAR(30) NOT NULL);
  SQL> INSERT INTO STATES (state_code, state_name) VALUES ('VA', 'Virginia');
  SQL> INSERT INTO STATES (state_code, state_name) VALUES ('MD', 'Maryland');
  SQL> SELECT * FROM states;
  SQL> COMMIT;
  SQL> EXIT;

The SQL Create Database command does not work in the Database Explorer SQL windows, instead use Windows ISQL.

Author: Robert Clemenzi - clemenzi@cpcug.org