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Product: DBISAM
Vendor: Elevate Software
Version: 3.26 Data Aware Controls: TDataSet (D3+)
Web Site: http://www.elevatesoft.com Support Delphi Vers: 5 6 7
Email: info@elevatesoft.com Supports C++B Vers: 5 6
Source Available: Yes Supports Kylix Vers:

Description:
Deployment: compiles directly into your EXE, adds 250-300K
Modes of
Operation:

Check indicates
primary intended
use(s).
Local: Yes
Multiuser File Server: Yes
Multiuser Client/Server: Yes
Web Server:

Package(s) Available: Price:
DBISAM ODBC Standard $199
DBISAM ODBC Standard with Source $599
DBISAM VCL Standard $249
DBISAM VCL Standard with Source $379
DBISAM VCL CS $529
DBISAM VCL CS with Source $699

Database/File Format Supported Native? Via Notes
Proprietary Yes

Third Party Tool Compatibility: Compatible?
(Delphi) Database Explorer Yes
ASTA Yes
kbmMW Yes
Ace Reporter Yes
InfoPower Yes
Orpheus (TurboPower) Yes
QuickReports Yes
RAVE Reports Yes
ReportBuilder Pro Yes
DevExpress QuantumGrid Yes
RemObjects Yes
IntraWeb Yes
ExpressWeb Framework Yes
FastReport Yes

Vendor's Description (from Readme files, web site, etc.):

The following is an overview of the DBISAM Database System that includes a detailed list of all of it's features as well as a list of features not currently provided by DBISAM.

Productivity Features
  • Compiles directly into your .EXE with no external .DLLs or configuration files needed
  • Has a very small footprint, only 250-300k (base engine size, does not include data access component layer)
  • Transparent single-user, multi-user usage, and client/server usage with no configuration changes required
  • Complete source code for all utilities provided, and source code for DBISAM itself is available for an additional charge
Version Support
  • Available for Delphi 5 and 6 and C++Builder 5 and 6
  • TDBISAMTable, TDBISAMQuery, TDBISAMDatabase, and TDBISAMSession components provided for all versions of Delphi (5 and 6) and C++Builder (5 and 6)
International Support
  • International support for over 100 languages
  • Language and sorting information is stored in each table, no configuration files or special drivers needed
Database Engine Features
  • Does not pre-allocate large blocks of memory and uses a very small amount of memory per table
  • Primary and secondary indexes with support for case-insensitive, descending, and unique attributes
  • Configurable index key compression
  • Logical sequence numbers that show exact position of record in relation to total records, even with a range set
  • Partial index key searches and ranges
  • Accurate record counts, even with active ranges and/or filters
  • Complete expression filter support including a filter optimizer, SUBSTRING, TRIM, LOWER, UPPER, POS, OCCURS, REPLACE, EXTRACT, CAST, ABS, ROUND, and IF functions, IN, LIKE, IS NULL, and BETWEEN extended operators.
  • SQL SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE CREATE TABLE, ALTER TABLE, DROP TABLE, CREATE INDEX, and DROP INDEX support, complete with a query optimizer, sub-selects, SUM MIN, MAX, COUNT, and AVG aggregate functions, SUBSTRING, TRIM, LOWER, UPPER, LENGTH, POS, OCCURS, REPLACE, EXTRACT, CAST, ABS, ROUND, and IF functions, IN, LIKE, IS NULL, and BETWEEN extended operators, both live and canned result sets, parameterized queries, queries on queries (INTO clause), in-memory query result sets, query progress events, SQL DDL scripts, and extended SQL syntax for DBISAM-specific features
  • Shareable in-memory tables that are identical to disk-based tables and include streaming support
  • All native Delphi field types (including BCD, BLOB, and auto-increment field types) supported
  • Configurable block sizes for BLOBs
  • NULL support
  • Min, Max, and Required constraints and default values and character-case specifiers for fields
  • Long field names and field and table descriptions for reference purposes
  • Encryption of tables with passwords
  • User-defined versioning of tables
  • User-defined semaphore locking
  • Automatic record locking and manual table locking
  • Automatic change detection with configurable change detection policy - lazy or strict
  • Complete cache management including intelligent read-ahead record buffering, index page buffering, BLOB block buffering, and optimized, serialized writes
  • Automatic read-only support for CD-ROMs including optimized buffering
  • Buffered transactions that allow tables to survive unexpected client workstation power-downs with little, or in most cases, no data corruption
  • Built-in table verification and repair facilities complete with progress and log events
  • Built-in table restructure facilities complete with progress and data conversion events
  • Automatic free space recycling for data records, index pages, and BLOB blocks
  • Built-in table optimization facilities complete with progress events
  • Client/server version available with ability to switch between local and remote access with just a few property changes and support for low-bandwidth connections such as dial-up modems accessing servers across the Internet
  • Default maximum file size of 4 gigabytes (per .DAT, .IDX, and .BLB file) with extended support for files up to 128 gigabytes
  • Native import/export to and from delimited text files
  • Full text indexing with support for optimized word searches that is fully-configurable per table with stop words, space characters, and include characters
Utilities Provided
  • BDE Database Transfer Utility for transferring BDE-based tables to DBISAM format
  • Database System Utility for creating, restructuring, browsing, searching, querying, reverse-engineering, and repairing tables interactively
  • Server Administration Utility for remotely administering any server from any location, even over the Internet
Features Not Supported
  • Stored procedures
  • Batch moves
  • Cached updates

BDE Alternatives Guide Comments:

DBISAM has grown to be one of the most-mentioned BDE alternative products; it is probably the most complete replacement (and then some) of BDE-like functionality for accessing local or file-server based data, keeping in mind that it uses its own file format, not Paradox, dBase, etc.

The client/server version is more comparable to Advantage or FlashFiler, offering a mix of navigations and SQL-based data access in a client/server system.

I (Kyle) use DBISAM myself for the local data store in a "briefcase" style application.



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