DDF Builder Limitations

[trims30]

Currently have ddf's for btrieve 6.15 created with an old copy of Smithware DDF Builder.

Have never had a problem using this utility till today.

I was editing some fields (20 of them) in one data file changing field formats from 2 to 4 decimal places. When I closed the definition editor and told ddf to update the file definitions, the program crashed.

Restarted ddfbuilder and removed some tables and was then able to re-do the field edits I made previously. Now, I can't add back the tables I deleted.

Is there some internal limits on field.ddf?
I have same number of files and fields as I have had previously. Only thing has changed is record size, field size and decimal places.

Any other product that will allow me to edit my existing ddf's?

 

[grnelson]

If you have existing files and want to extend the record size you would have to build a new file and copy your existing data to the new file. Just changing the DDF file record length will not change the actual file. Another tool that you can use to edit Btrieve DDF files is BtSearch32 at

http://www.nssdd.com.

It will allow you to insert or delete fields as well as change lengths and data types. But again this does not automatically change the actual data in the file. If you change the structure you will have to export out from the old file and then re-import into the new file.



Gil

 

[trims30]

I don't have a problem in building files... problem seems to be size limit on field.ddf Mine is 511K and can't make it any larger without crashing. Is there a limit on file size for field.ddf?

 

[grnelson]

It also is a Btrieve file. So it should easily surpass 511K. I know in the past when I used DDF Builder sometimes it would corrupt my field.ddf. I always kept backups when working with the DDF files just in case. If you have any backups prior to changing them you might give that a try.


Gil

 

[mirtheil]

The only limitation I know of for DDFs (specifically FILE and FIELD) would be related to the number of records. The ID fields (XF$ID and XE$ID) are 2 byte unsigned integers which gives them a limit of 65534 records.
Then again, you are using products that haven't been updated in probably close to 10 years (Btrieve 6.15 was last released in 1995 and DDF BUilder was released before that).

Mirtheil
Certified Pervasive Developer
Certified Pervasive Technician
Custom VB and Btrieve development.

http://www.mirtheil.com

 

[trims30]

I solved the problem by building a new set of ddf's and importing all file definitions. Ended up with a 456K field.ddf and its working OK.

I've been using the same DDF's for years and have always added or removed files but never rebuilt ddfs from scratch since 1995. There may have been an internal error somewhere in the file.

Thanks for all the help.

Case Closed!

Lee