Is it possible to create a db without a .bi file?

[Keith]

We have a reporting program that uses a database. However, we don't need database integrity. We are using the -i startup option but this still creates a large .bi file. Is there any way to avoid a .bi file altogether?

 

[Chris Kelleher]

Yes you can eliminate the BI file access altogether by starting up in Read Only mode. Just truncate the BI file (PROUTIL database -C TRUNCATE), then start with the -RO parameter.

A word of warning: Never have multiple users accessing the database in Read Only mode along with other users doing updates. Very bad things can happen with the index nodes if you do this.

Hope this helps.

-Chris

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Chris Schreiber
ProgressTalk.com Manager
chris@fast4gl.com

 

[Keith]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Arial, Verdana">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by progresstalk:
Yes you can eliminate the BI file access altogether by starting up in Read Only mode. Just truncate the BI file (PROUTIL database -C TRUNCATE), then start with the -RO parameter.

A word of warning: Never have multiple users accessing the database in Read Only mode along with other users doing updates. Very bad things can happen with the index nodes if you do this.

Hope this helps.

-Chris

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks Chris. I should have made it clear in my question though, that we do need to write to the database. It's just that we don't need a BI file since we can simply rerun the program if something goes awry. We would like to eliminate the BI file due to the huge amount of disk space it requires as well as speed considerations.

 

[Chris Kelleher]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Arial, Verdana">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Keith:
I should have made it clear in my question though, that we do need to write to the database.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Sorry about that, I was wondering if this process updating the database or not...

Running with -i no-integrity will certainly speed things up, but it still will write to the BI if you are doing updates. Do you truncate your BI file often? If you truncate the BI before running this process, it might actually run slower since it has to "grow" and format the new BI blocks while it is processing. The only other thing I would recommend is taking a look at the program you are running to see where you might be able to make it more effecient.

Hope this helps,
-Chris



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Chris Schreiber
ProgressTalk.com Manager
chris@fast4gl.com

 

[rich_t]

Unfortunately if you are updating your DB from another source you will get a BI file, and therefore that BI must be available to any other session, unless truncated.

Your large BI file is due to the updates, not the reporting, so concentrate on optimising those updates and the size of the BI will be reduced.

Rich

NB: The size of your BI shouldn't affect the performance of your reports provided that the DB is normalised and optimised for those reports.