Firebird

Firebird is a cross-platform SQL-database. These are quick instructions how to get it running on Fedora / CentOS system.

Good to know

binaries have been renamed with postfix -fb to avoid conflict with ODBC-binaries.
firebird comes with default database employee.
server config file is /etc/firebird/firebid.conf
all databases reside physically in /var/lib/firebird/data directory
on CentOS /etc/init.d/firebird-superserver daemon arguments (-daemon -forever -pidfile) are in wrong order.
cli interpreter comes in server package, there is no traditional client-server split/subpackages.
usernames and passwords are truncated to 8 characters, masterkey becomes masterke.
DSN syntax:
- absolute file name at server filesystem.
- <hostname>:<database> where db-file mapping is in server /etc/firebird/aliases file.

Packager's notes:

# cat /usr/share/doc/$(rpm -q --qf="%{NAME}-%{VERSION}" firebird-filesystem)/README.Fedora

Installation

There are three versions of Firebird server software. You want superserver.

# yum install -y firebird-superserver
# service firebird-superserver start

Chaging the admin password

# gsec -user sysdba -pass masterkey -mo sysdba -pw newpwd1

Creating a user

# gsec -user sysdba  -password masterkey  add dude -pw dudepwd1

Connecting to a database

A localhost database:

# isql-fb -u sysdba -p masterkey employee
SQL> SHOW USERS;
# SYSDBA

SQL> SHOW VERSION;
ISQL Version: LI-V2.5.5.26952 Firebird 2.5
Server version:
Firebird/linux AMD64 (access method), version "LI-V2.5.5.26952 Firebird 2.5"
Firebird/linux AMD64 (remote server), version "LI-V2.5.5.26952 Firebird 2.5/tcp (alca.netnix.ee)/P12"
Firebird/linux AMD64 (remote interface), version "LI-V2.5.5.26952 Firebird 2.5/tcp (alca.netnix.ee)/P12" 
on disk structure version 11.2

SQL> QUIT;
#

A remote host database, with aliases mapping:

# isql-fb -u sysdba -p masterkey example.com:employee

Creating a database

There is no need to connect any database to create a new database into server. When CREATE DATABASE is entered, intrepreter will instantly connect to the new database.

# isql-fb -u sysdba -p masterkey
SQL> CREATE DATABASE '/var/lib/firebird/data/foobar.fdb' page_size 8192;
SQL>  SHOW DATABASE;
Database: /var/lib/firebird/data/foobar.fdb
        Owner: SYSDBA                         
PAGE_SIZE 8192
Number of DB pages allocated = 164
Sweep interval = 20000
Forced Writes are ON
Transaction - oldest = 1
Transaction - oldest active = 2
Transaction - oldest snapshot = 2
Transaction - Next = 6
ODS = 11.2
Default Character set: NONE
SQL>

Finally

Change that sysdba password.

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