Path: utzoo!utgpu!attcan!uunet!tank!mimsy!dftsrv!ames!oliveb!pyramid!prls!philabs!ttidca!troeger
From: troeger@ttidca.TTI.COM (Jeff Troeger)
Newsgroups: comp.databases
Subject: Re: C/Database Toolchest (TM)
Message-ID: <3548@ttidca.TTI.COM>
Date: 10 Dec 88 17:27:56 GMT
References: <SIG.88Dec8114446@vedge.UUCP>
Reply-To: troeger@ttidcb.tti.com (Jeff Troeger)
Distribution: comp
Organization: Citicorp/TTI, Santa Monica
Lines: 63

In article <SIG.88Dec8114446@vedge.UUCP> sig@vedge.UUCP (Siegurd Weber) writes:
>
>	I just read an add in the Byte magazin for the C/Database Toolchest.
>It is described as a complete database manager (with source included).
>The price $19.95 for the Toolchest plus $10.00 for the source makes me
>suspicious. Does anyone have more info about the package?

	I just got my copy yesterday (12/9) so I can't tell you about any
	problems, however, I can give you some first impressions, and 
	give you ideas on what to expect for your money. 

	1. Turn around time: My package arrived from MIX software about
	   8 days after I MAILED my order. 

	2. Look and Feel: Frankly I was suprised by what I got for my 
	   money. The manual is > 350 pages, and is bound similar to 
	   the TURBO-C manuals (soft cover book format) and it comes 
	   with 3 diskettes (if you order the source also ). 
	
	3. Installation: The installation is easy, but slow. Be prepared
	   for at least 1.5 Meg of stuff to load on your system.

	4. Manual: I think the manual is meant for beginners (at least
	   the first 4 chapters seemed that way) The manual is split into
	   a section for the B-Tree libraries, the ISAM libraries, and
	   their example of a Database manager called LDM (Little Database
	   Manager). Each system call is described ala UNIX man pages and
	   comes with a chunk of code that shows how to use the call. So
	   far, I like the layout of the book. I don't know how accurate
	   the information is yet, but from what I've seen so far, I don't
	   have any reason to believe that it's not accurate.


	Features: (Gleaned from the introduction of the C/Database 
	 	   Toolchest manual)

	BTREE Features:

	 o fast buffered operation even on computers with limited memory
	 o true variable length keys
	 o true deletion (not just marking an entry deleted)

	ISAM Features:

	 o Databases containing over 2 billion records
	 o Multiple indexes stored in a single index file
	 o multiple databases opened simultaneously ( Dont know how many yet)
	 o True Variable length records
	 o Multi field (compound) keys
	 o True record deletion
	 o re-use of deleted space in the data file
	 o in place record modification.

	The ISAM stuff also comes with a few other utilities that I haven't 
	looked at yet, (like a utility to convert DBASE files) 

	Hoped this helped,

* I have no relation to MIX software other than as a retail buyer.
-- 
Jeff Troeger @ Citicorp(+)TTI
3100 Ocean Park Blvd.   (213) 450-9111, ext. 3153
Santa Monica, CA  90405 {philabs,randvax,csun}!ttidca!ttidcb!troeger
		or	troeger@ttidca