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What is Paradox? 1
- Thread starter Triedit
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Triedit,
Actually, Paradox is considered a "desktop," "local," or "network server" database format, akin to Access or dBASE. That is, the database engine (BDE) is run each individual client PC and the database tables are stored either locally or on a networked device.
Now, the actual details of the network can range. That is, you can use peer-to-peer file sharing (e.g. MS Networking, Lantastic, and so on) or you can use a "real" network, such as Novell. However, the end result is the same: the local client PC handles the esoterica of managing the database and the code contains the logic for the database application.
Client/Server databases customarily involve at least two machines: Once runs the database server software and the other runs the client application, which is not supposed to have any more logic in it other than that required to communicate with the server and present the results, e.g. the user interface.
Typically, client/server databases also involve more personnel to administer effectively, though that's perhaps arguable. Generally, you have someone who maintains the database itself and then you have people responsible for handling the user's requirements, e.g. the UI developers.
C/S databases are generally more powerful than desktop formats; however, they are also generally more expensive and less portable than desktop databases.
In my experience, many people think they need c/s databases when they really need people who understand general database concepts. Unless you're dealing with, say, hundreds of thousands of records or several hundred simultaneous users, you can use desktop database formats for quite some time.
By the time you really need a c/s database, you can afford to support it.
OK, I strayed a little bit from the original question, but I hope this helps anyway.
-- Lance
Actually, Paradox is considered a "desktop," "local," or "network server" database format, akin to Access or dBASE. That is, the database engine (BDE) is run each individual client PC and the database tables are stored either locally or on a networked device.
Now, the actual details of the network can range. That is, you can use peer-to-peer file sharing (e.g. MS Networking, Lantastic, and so on) or you can use a "real" network, such as Novell. However, the end result is the same: the local client PC handles the esoterica of managing the database and the code contains the logic for the database application.
Client/Server databases customarily involve at least two machines: Once runs the database server software and the other runs the client application, which is not supposed to have any more logic in it other than that required to communicate with the server and present the results, e.g. the user interface.
Typically, client/server databases also involve more personnel to administer effectively, though that's perhaps arguable. Generally, you have someone who maintains the database itself and then you have people responsible for handling the user's requirements, e.g. the UI developers.
C/S databases are generally more powerful than desktop formats; however, they are also generally more expensive and less portable than desktop databases.
In my experience, many people think they need c/s databases when they really need people who understand general database concepts. Unless you're dealing with, say, hundreds of thousands of records or several hundred simultaneous users, you can use desktop database formats for quite some time.
By the time you really need a c/s database, you can afford to support it.
OK, I strayed a little bit from the original question, but I hope this helps anyway.
-- Lance
dulalsarkar
Programmer
Triedit,
Can you help me with the file format i.e. file structure of Paradox which I need very much for data convartion to Oracle, please.
Any succession will highly appreciated.
Dulal
E-Mail: dulal66@hotmail.com
Can you help me with the file format i.e. file structure of Paradox which I need very much for data convartion to Oracle, please.
Any succession will highly appreciated.
Dulal
E-Mail: dulal66@hotmail.com
Dulal,
Unfortunately, Borland has never documented the Paradox File Format, so there's no definitive information available.
Having said that, Randy Beck tried to decifer the format at one point and have made his findings avilable on his website ( I have no idea if they're accurate, but they may be useful.
If you're trying to move Paradox data into Oracle, you're probably better off obtaining a good Paradox ODBC driver (like the one provided with recent versions of Corel's WPO/Professional). While MSO provides a Paradox driver, it's an older driver and known to be finicky.
Alternatively, if you have a copy of Paradox itself, you can always export your Paradox data to a different file format, such as dBASE DBF tables or even ASCII comma-delimited text files. I believe Oracle contains tools for migrating data from those sources.
Hope this helps...
-- Lance
Unfortunately, Borland has never documented the Paradox File Format, so there's no definitive information available.
Having said that, Randy Beck tried to decifer the format at one point and have made his findings avilable on his website ( I have no idea if they're accurate, but they may be useful.
If you're trying to move Paradox data into Oracle, you're probably better off obtaining a good Paradox ODBC driver (like the one provided with recent versions of Corel's WPO/Professional). While MSO provides a Paradox driver, it's an older driver and known to be finicky.
Alternatively, if you have a copy of Paradox itself, you can always export your Paradox data to a different file format, such as dBASE DBF tables or even ASCII comma-delimited text files. I believe Oracle contains tools for migrating data from those sources.
Hope this helps...
-- Lance
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