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//          BDE and SQL Links Release Notes          //
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=======================================================
WELCOME TO INPRISE 32-BIT SQL LINKS 5 FOR WINDOWS 95/NT
=======================================================

This file contains important, late-breaking information
about INPRISE SQL Links for Windows, including
revisions to the documentation.  Information in this
file supersedes information in the SQL Links
documentation.


TABLE OF CONTENTS
=======================================================
  1. TIPS FOR USING SQL LINKS
     1.1 Where to start
  2. BEHAVIOR CHANGES
     2.1 Performance Improvements on DbiModifyRecord
     2.2 Transaction Isolation Levels & InterBase
  3. DISTRIBUTING THE BDE AND SQL LINKS
  4. KNOWN PROBLEMS
     4.1 Oracle 8
     4.2 Sybase CT-LIB Driver


1. TIPS FOR USING SQL LINKS
=======================================================
1.1 Where to start
------------------
For information about configuring and connecting to SQL
servers, see the Help file SQLLNK32.HLP. This Help file
also contains a "Hints, Problems, and Notes" topic with
tips and troubleshooting information.


2. BEHAVIOR CHANGES
=======================================================
2.1 Performance Improvements on DbiModifyRecord
-----------------------------------------------
DbiModifyRecord no longer generates an UPDATE statement 
on unchanged record buffers. This improves performance.

2.2 Transaction Isolation Levels & InterBase
--------------------------------------------
By adding 4096 to the setting of DRIVER FLAGS in the
Borland Database Engine (BDE) configuration, you can
specify that the InterBase SQL Links driver should use
soft commits. Soft commits are a feature of InterBase
that let the driver retain the cursor when commiting
changes. Soft commits improve performance on updates to
large sets of data. When not used, the BDE must re-
fetch all the records, even for a single record change.
With soft commit the cursor is retained, and a re-fetch
is not needed. Soft commits are never used in explicit
transactions started by BDE client applications.

  DRIVER FLAGS  Isolation level  Commit type
  ------------  ---------------  ------------
  0             Read committed   hard commit
  512           Repeatable read  hard commit
  4096          Read committed   soft commit
  4608          Repeatable read  soft commit


3. DISTRIBUTING THE BDE AND SQL LINKS
=======================================================
See the file REDIST32.TXT for specific information
regarding redistributing the BDE and SQL Links with
applications.


4. KNOWN PROBLEMS
=======================================================
4.1 Oracle 8
------------
The latest Oracle 8.0.4 client is required to work with
the Oracle 8 driver (SQLORA8.DLL). There are known
problems in the Oracle 8.0.3 client.

4.2 Sybase CT-LIB Driver
------------------------
The CT-Lib driver works with Sybase version 10.0.4
EBF7264 or higher.


=======================================================
Unless otherwise noted, all materials provided in this
release are Copyright 1983 - 1998 by INPRISE
Corporation.
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