XMLWizard 1.0.4 released

Guacosoft.com has released a new version XMLWizard tool used to import data into Firebird databases and compare data from input file against the database. This new version has important bugfixes:

* loading floating point values like 123.00 in integer columns is now allowed
* proper conversion of datatypes
* range checking for float and 64bit integer (BIGINT) values
* separated input file datatype and database column datatype in properties

A new tool to import data into Firebird

Guacosoft.com has released XMLWizard, a new tool used to import data into Firebird databases. It supports XML, CSV and fixed-width textual files. XML import has some unique features like support for nested XML files and loading data from XML properties.

Beside importing, the tool can be used to compare the data from file against the database and cherry-pick the changes manually. More info, and a demo video can be found at XMLWizard website.

Benerator – test data generator

While looking for some nice free test data generator for Firebird, I just stumbled into Benerator:

http://databene.org/databene-benerator/

benerator supports you in performing realistic load and performance tests. It is a framework for generating realistic and valid high-volume test data for your system under test (avoiding the Datalite anti-pattern)

Apparently, it works with Firebird:

http://databene.org/databene-benerator/faq/80-which-systems-does-benerator-support.html

FBExport 1.70 released

FBExport is an open source command-line tool for exporting and importing data from Firebird databases. It features:

  • export and import data from Firebird databases
  • export to comma separated values (CSV) format
  • export as INSERT statements
  • use exported data as input for DML statements
  • cross platform – works on Windows and Linux
  • works with all Firebird versions (tested 1.0 – 2.1)

Here are the changes in version 1.70:

  • Slash character is no longer removed when loading statements from file
  • Username and password are read from ISC_USER and ISC_PASSWORD enviroment variables if available
  • Added header with column names to CSV export
  • Fixed bug with copying data on Windows

Download the latest version while it’s fresh 🙂

FBCopy supports generators now

FBCopy is an open source command-line tool for copying and comparing
data in Firebird databases. It has the following features:

* copying data between databases (sorted by dependency tree)
* copying generator values (since version 1.70)
* comparing table fields
* comparing data (with detailed output in HTML)
* open source under MIT license
* cross platform – works on Windows and Linux
* works with all Firebird versions (tested 1.0 – 2.1)
* easy to integrate into batch jobs
* light for remote use via SSH

Version 1.70 introduces a new definition format which supports both
tables and generators, so now you can copy generator values as well.
The new version is backward compatible (i.e. it can read the
definition files generated with previous versions of FBCopy).

Linux binary in the package is compiled against FBClient 2, so it will
work with Firebird 2.0 and 2.1 (previous versions worked only with 1.0
and 1.5 servers).

Download (contains Linux and Windows binaries and source code):

http://www.firebirdfaq.org/files/fbcopy-1.70.tgz

Usage examples and more information:

http://fbexport.sourceforge.net

Enjoy.

Where should you go for open source support?

An interesting story and discussion on ZDNet:

If you’re taking software free and buying support from elsewhere, the guys who built the program can’t eat, unless they find a way to get a rake-off from the support team’s revenue. Which isn’t going to happen. Or start charging you directly for their code updates, which might.

It would be interesting so see ideas discussed there apply to Firebird in any way.

50% discount for Firebird Foundation members

I’ve just created a Home Inventory software that uses Firebird embedded. To show my appreciation to the project, and perhaps make Firebird Foundation membership more attractive, I decided to give 50% discount to Foundation members on this and all my future programs that use Firebird. Program’s page is at:

http://www.guacosoft.com/attic/

Best of all, you can take out the database backup and do whatever you want with it (it’s a regular Firebird 2.0 database).