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Success Story

Barry D. Brown

Barry D. Brown
Sr. Developer

I just wanted to let you know that I have found VistaDB to be an answer to many of my hopes! It took me four days to convert my products from Pervasive to VistaDB and the work is well worth it. Here is a list of the problems I had encountered using JET, MySQL, PostgreSQL, Pervasive and other databases (you can see I have a bit of experience with database systems!)

1. Download times were lengthy – distribution file size was over 70 Meg
   • VistaDB distribution file size for the same application is 7 Meg – an order of magnitude difference
2. Installation was messy because I had to install a very large, complex database system as part of the installation process
   • VistaDB requires a single DLL Initial file creation was difficult.
3. Although I hand coded the creation of the named database and the necessary ODBC DSN, it was clunky and would not always work if there was an already existing ODBC DSN (from an earlier trial, for example).
   • VistaDB requires me to determine if the database exists and if not to create one with a single line of code.
4. Moving the location of the files was very difficult. If they were to exist on another box, then I had to install the database on the other box and modify the parameters of the named tables and their associated ODBC DSNs. To do this required using the Pervasive Control Center, right-clicking on the right spot and editing the table parameters, then going into the ODBC setup to change the DSNs.
   • VistaDB requires me to simply change the drive letter.
5. In my application, I have to support multiple locations. Each location requires it’s own set of tables so there can be no commingling of data. However, the setup and one other file is shared between all locations. Again, you would have to use the vendor’s software (not what you want your customers having to do) to create the named database and ODBC DSNs.
   • VistaDB allows me to create new locations on-the-fly by creating a new database using one line of code, and to switch between databases very easily.
6. I have run into problems with JET not supporting the number of fields I required in a payroll program.
   • VistaDB does not have this problem
7. I have had many problems with MySQL trying to process a large number of mixed queries (updates, inserts and reads).
   • VistaDB does not to have this problem.

Although the number of supported data types are smaller than on some other systems, I had no problems converting the tables. Unlike the MySQL ODBC driver, I had no problems with memo fields or NULL values. P.S. My second application took about an hour to convert.