To use FairCom DB Professional to full advantage, a number of important concepts should be understood. Many of these concepts are common approaches used within the C programming language; some are more specific to FairCom's approach to file access using FairCom DB.
This chapter is a thorough introduction to core data and index component definitions needed to build a successful database application.
Data Record Positions - A FairCom DB data file is a collection of data records and other metadata. Simple rules apply to locating the positions of the records in the file.
Data and Index Definitions - At the surface, FairCom DB stores data in two types of files: data files and index files. Dive deeper into the file modes in these sections.
c-tree Keys - FairCom DB maintains keys in an index file that permits records to be rapidly searched.
Key Segment Modes - The Key Segment Mode value tells c-tree how to locate and interpret the information necessary to create an ISAM key segment key.
File Recovery - FairCom DB updates information stored in the first record of the file, called the "header," whenever you add a record or key. If this update is interrupted before the header can be updated, c-tree provides functions for file recovery.
Advanced Space Reclamation - FairCom DB uses a variable space management index to make available space when a variable-length record changes size and is moved in the file.
Online Compact - FairCom DB supports a feature to compact and rebuild indexes while files are opened and in use.
Transaction Processing Overview - FairCom DB provides a set of functionality to support transaction processing to ensure that any committed updates to the data and index files will be available even in the event of a system failure. (For more information of transaction processing, see Data Integrity.)
Error Handling - This section breaks down the details in the various parts of the error codes returned by c-tree functions.
Low-Level Functions - FairCom DB includes a full range of low-level functions that provide developers with complete access to all the features of c-tree.
c-tree Constraints - This section details the few constraints that developers should acknowledge when planning an efficient FairCom DB application.
