Chip 1997 April/Chip_1997-04_cd.bin/prezent/cb/data.z/READLINK.TXT

Text File | 1997-01-15 | 27.4 KB | 750 lines

============================================================
   WELCOME TO BORLAND 32-BIT SQL LINKS 3.5 FOR WINDOWS 95/NT
   ---------------------------------------------------------


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


TABLE OF CONTENTS
-----------------

1.  C++ Builder 1.0 NOTES
2.  INSTALLSHIELD EXPRESS NOTES
3.  TIPS FOR USING SQL LINKS
4.  KNOWN PROBLEMS
5.  INTERBASE SQL LINK DRIVER
6.  ORACLE SQL LINK DRIVER
7.  SYBASE SQL LINK DRIVER (DB-Lib)
8.  SYBASE SQL LINK DRIVER (CT-Lib)
9.  MICROSOFT SQL LINK DRIVER
10. DB2 SQL LINK DRIVER
11. INFORMIX SQL LINK DRIVER


1. C++ Builder 1.0 NOTES
========================
///do we have any????


2. INSTALLSHIELD EXPRESS NOTES
==============================

If you have the 16-bit BDE installed and in use on your machine,
you won't see all the available SQL Links drivers when you try to
set up aliases in InstallShield Express. To correct this,

  1. Start the 32-bit BDE Configuration Utility.
  2. Note the name of the default .CFG file being used (listed in
     the title bar).
  3. Choose Options|Configure WIN3.1 to uncheck it.
  4. Choose File|Save to update the Windows Registry.
  5. Choose Options|Configure WIN3.1 again.
  6. Choose File|Save As and type TEMP.CFG. When the Non-system
     Configuration File dialog box appears, choose No.
  7. Close the BDE Configuration Utility.
  8. Copy TEMP.CFG over your default .CFG file.


3. TIPS FOR USING SQL LINKS
===========================

WHERE TO START
--------------
For information about configuring and connecting to SQL
servers, see the Help file SQLLNK32.HLP.

USING ALIASES WITHOUT SPECIFYING A LANGUAGE DRIVER
--------------------------------------------------
If no language driver is specified, the default language
driver is ASCII.  Language-specific processes like
character translation, sorting and table name validation
will default to English rules.  For further information, see
"Common SQL Links driver settings" and your driver's
"Connecting to..." sections of the SQLLNK32.HLP.

WORKING WITH LARGE TABLES
-------------------------
If you create data entry forms on large tables you might
find some performance degradation, particularly if the user
is allowed to view unrestricted record sets. To help cut
down the load on your server and optimize server
performance try to write applications that access relatively
few records at a time.  One way to do this within a
form-based application is to create forms that order the
data by index and set range criteria to limit the record
set. (For example, instead of creating a form that displays
all orders for all customers, write your application to
limit the user's working selection by criteria such as
customer name, state, and area code.)

WORKING WITH "SNAPSHOTS"
(TABLES WITHOUT A UNIQUE INDEX OR ROW ID)
-----------------------------------------
It is always better to use a table with a unique index if
possible. This allows for better control and performance.
If you insert records into a "snapshot" table, you might
need to close and reopen the table to see your additions.

SYNONYM AND CROSS DATABASE / CROSS SERVER TABLE ACCESS
------------------------------------------------------
Oracle and Informix synonyms can now be accessed using
DbiOpenTable and Live Queries. Tables on different
databases or servers can also be accessed in the same way.
For example, you can now open "SCOTT"."CUSTOMER"@"DBLINK"
on Oracle and pubs.dbo.authors on Sybase.

UPDATING SNAPSHOTS
(TABLES WITHOUT UNIQUE INDEX OR ROW ID)
---------------------------------------
When working with a table that does not have
a unique index or row ID, keep the following in mind:

- The SQL Links do not support record modifications
  and deletions on "snapshots" within an explicit
  client transaction.  Emptying tables is supported
  within an explicit client transaction, but rolling
  back such an operation does not update the internal
  record cache.

- To update the record cache, close the table and then
  open it again.


4. KNOWN PROBLEMS
=================

DB2 ON WINDOWS 95
-----------------
In Windows 95, you should catalog DB2 nodes using TCP/IP on the client,
such as

    CATALOG TCP/IP NODE MYNODE ...

If you use the Microsoft IPX/SPX protocol, the protocol will hang when
metadata is retrieved. IBM reports that this is a Microsoft problem.

The DB2 SQL Links driver can only access servers in the Windows 95
environment that are connected using TCP/IP.

INFORMIX-REFERENTIAL INTEGRITY
------------------------------
The Informix SQL Links driver does not currently support referential
integrity. Support is planned for a future release of SQL Links.

ROLLBACKS AND INFORMIX LOGGING TABLES
-------------------------------------
Rolling back a transaction on an Informix Logging database
invalidates the cursor. To avoid this, use ANSI databases or
close the cursor after rolling back the transaction and
reopen it.

SYBASE CT-LIB STORED PROCEDURES
-------------------------------
When ENABLE BCD is TRUE, stored procedures with MONEY fields
fail to retrieve MONEY output parameters.

INFORMIX - DECIMAL AND MONEY PRECISION
--------------------------------------
DECIMAL and MONEY data types are rounded to two decimal
places when getting data from the server. For example,
DECIMAL 123.4567 is rounded to 123.45. This is a vendor
issue. To prevent this, set ENABLE BCD to TRUE in the BDE
Configuration Utility.

INFORMIX - APPLYING FILTERS
---------------------------
Applying a filter on DECIMAL and MONEY fields in
Informix will fail, because the data types are all mapped
to the BDE logical type fldFLOAT. To avoid this, use
passthrough SQL.

UPDATABLE SQL QUERIES
---------------------
Tables owned by another user must be qualified by owner
name.  Use quotation marks around the entire qualified
name, for example "OWNER"."TABLE".

INFORMIX - USING VERSION 7.2 WITH BLOB FIELDS
---------------------------------------------
If you open a BLOB field on an Informix 7.2 server, trying to
move to another record causes the server to crash. This is caused
by an Informix problem. Reference case number 55155 when
contacting Informix.

INSTALLSHIELD TEMPORARY DIRECTORIES IN WINDOWS NT
-------------------------------------------------
When installing the SQL Links under Windows NT, InstallShield
does not remove temporary directories named _ISTMPx.DIR, where
x is a number from 0 to 9. You must delete them manually.


5. INTERBASE SQL LINK DRIVER
============================

INTERBASE SQL LINK and LOCAL INTERBASE
--------------------------------------
InterBase SQL Link installs a subset of the InterBase vendor
DLLs necessary for Local InterBase.  If you have an earlier
version of Local InterBase on your computer when you install
InterBase SQL Link, be sure to upgrade with the latest version.

STORED PROCEDURE AND PARAMETER BINDING
--------------------------------------
Trying to bind parameters to a SQL statement after a stored
procedure has been run results in a "Column Unknown" error when
DbiQPrepare is called.

SUPPORTED DATA TYPES
--------------------
The BDE now supports the InterBase 4.0 data types of NUMERIC and
DECIMAL.

INTERBASE INSTALLATION CHANGES
------------------------------
When installing over existing copies of IB_LICEN.DAT and
INTRBASE.MSG, the SQL Links installation program copies
the files being overwritten to IB_LICEN.BOR and
INTRBASE.BOR. If the SQL Links are uninstalled, these files
are NOT restored automatically; you must restore them.


6. ORACLE DRIVER
================

SUPPORT FOR QUOTED OBJECT NAMES
-------------------------------
This release of SQL Links supports the creation of Oracle
tables with quoted object names.  Object names enclosed
in double quotation marks may contain spaces, special
characters, reserved words, or mixed case.  When querying
a table with special object names, be sure to enclose the
name in double quotation marks. For example:

     SELECT * FROM "Customer"

For more information on object naming rules, see your
Oracle server documentation.

USING LIVE QUERIES WITH QUOTED FIELD NAMES
------------------------------------------
Live queries for Oracle tables require a table qualifier or
an alias name if the field names are quoted. For example :

    SELECT * FROM someTable WHERE "fieldname" = someValue

will not work, the workaround will be to use either

    SELECT * FROM someTable T1 WHERE T1."fieldname" = someValue
or
    SELECT * FROM someTable WHERE "someTable"."fieldname" = someValue

SETTING ORACLE DRIVER FLAGS
---------------------------
Using mixed-case object names can result in incompatibility
with earlier versions of SQL Links for Oracle. Earlier
versions of SQL Links used uppercase object names only. To
use uppercase object names only, set the DRIVER FLAGS option
to 1 using the BDE Configuration Utility.

Specifying a Repeatable Read transaction isolation level
can result in incompatibility with applications using earlier
versions of SQL Links for Oracle. Earlier versions of SQL
Links supported Read Committed only. To maintain transaction
support compatibility with earlier versions of SQL Links, use
the BDE Configuration Utility to set the DRIVER FLAGS option
to 512.

To use uppercase object names only AND maintain transaction
support compatibility with earlier versions of SQL Links, use
the BDE Configuration Utility to set the DRIVER FLAGS option
to 513 (representing 512+1).

ORACLE UPDATABLE QUERIES
------------------------
All names, both column and table,
are case sensitive (as if they were quoted explicitly).

ORACLE BLOCK WRITE SUPPORT
--------------------------
Support for Oracle array binding
in this release shows improved performance for block writes
when using DbiBatchMove and DbiWriteBlock.

CONFIGURING BDE FOR USE WITH ORACLE SQL*NET V2.0 OR GREATER
-----------------------------------------------------------
Use the BDE configuration utility (or alias manager) to set
the "Net Protocol" parameter for Oracle aliases to TNS.


7. SYBASE DRIVER (DB-LIB)
=========================

ADDITIONAL TRANSACTION ISOLATION LEVEL SUPPORT
----------------------------------------------
An error (DBIERR_NOTSUPPORTED) is returned if
Repeatable Read is specified.

USING DEFAULT SYBASE DRIVER FLAGS SETTING
-----------------------------------------
For Sybase SQL Servers prior to System 10, if your SQL
Server faults while executing BLOB reads or BLOB writes,
check the SQL Link driver's DRIVER FLAGS parameter.  If
DRIVER FLAGS is set to 0 (the Sybase default):

  1.  Call Sybase Customer Support and describe the
      problem, referencing Case #125046.

  2.  Set the DRIVER FLAGS parameter to 1.  Use this
      DRIVER FLAGS setting until you receive the necessary
      software fix from Sybase.

Setting DRIVER FLAGS to 1 will enable you to execute BLOB
reads and BLOB writes without causing a server fault.
This may cause the client to receive SQL Server timeouts
during BLOB writes.

MULTIPLE RESULT SETS
--------------------
The Sybase SQL Link driver does not support the use of
stored procedures that return multiple answer sets.

SYBASE INDEX HINT FOR UPDATABLE QUERIES
---------------------------------------
This release of SQL Link has added support for Sybase's
forceindex hint for query optimization when performing
updatable queries. For example, the following query is
now a valid updatable query:
   SELECT * FROM CUSTOMER (2)

SYBASE URGENT PARAMETER AND TABLE CLOSE PERFORMANCE
---------------------------------------------------
The use of the URGENT parameter is supported by the named
pipes driver, the Novell NetWare networking software
(SPX/IPX) as well as many TCP/IP networking packages:
(Note: the dll's specified in the following examples are
network and network transport specific.)

myNLMsrvr=C:\SQL\BIN\WDBNOVSP,04200020,1,83BD,URGENT
myUNIXsrvr=C:\SQL\BIN\WDBNOVTC, 128.0.168.245, 1425, URGENT
myNamedPipesrvr=C:\SQL\BIN\DLL_NAME,\\MY_SRVR\ROOT, URGENT

The  Sybase Open Client documentation erroneously notes that
Novell's LanWorkPlace does not support the URGENT parameter.
You actually need a LanWorkPlace version later than 4.0, Lan
WorkPlace for OS/2 is compatible only with version 3.0.

URGENT requires Out of Band Data (OOBD) support and is
necessary for Sybase's  dbcancel() to work effectively.
Dbcancel() is called to cancel the retrieval of un-read
result sets.

In order to properly support OOBD, your Solaris-based
server may need a call to ndd to set its
tcp_rexmit_interval_max parm.
The call is:

/usr/sbin/ndd -set /dev/tcp tcp_rexmit_interval_max nnnn

where nnnn is a number of milliseconds.

You might see a delay when clicking on the master grid of
a master-detail form - the query to retrieve the data for
the detail might not return for several minutes.

By default, the TCP protocol will wait until a packet is
full before sending it. This will generally help packet
transmission over large networks because it cuts down on
the number of packets sent. This can often slow the
performance of client applications. If the server needs
to send 750 bytes to an application and is using 512-byte
packets, the client will see a delay while the server waits
on 274 bytes of additional data.

It might be possible to disable this on the SQL Server
itself.  This can be done by adding a trace flag to the
RUN_SERVER file, -T1610.

UPDATE/DELETE QUERIES AND DBIGETRELATIVERECORD
----------------------------------------------
Running the SQL statements UPDATE or DELETE on a table with a unique
index, closing and reopening the table, switching to an existing
index, then calling DbiGetRelativeRecord results in the server
error "Attempt to initiate a new SQL operation with results pending."

STORED PROCEDURES AND DBIQSETPROCPARAMS
---------------------------------------
If a stored procedure with a result set and either an output
parameter or a return value is executed and then rebound using
a call to DbiQSetProcParams, the output parameter or return
value will not work correctly.

SPECIFYING THE SYBASE QUERY API
-------------------------------
By default, SQL statements sent to MS SQL and Sybase servers
using  DB-Lib are now sent using the synchronous query submission
API. Earlier versions of SQL Links used the asynchronous query
submission API. To use the asynchronous query submission API, add
2048 to the current value of DRIVER FLAGS or set it to 2048 if
it's blank.


8. SYBASE DRIVER (CT-LIB)
=========================

DBIERR_MULTIPLEUNIQRECS ON DEAD TABLES
--------------------------------------
If the error DBIERR_MULTIPLEUNIQRECS occurs while using
a dead table (no index at all), then the cursor for that
table should be closed and reopened, regardless of whether
DbiBeginTran had been called to start a transaction. This
is true only for the CT-Lib version of the Sybase driver.

SUPPORTING OLDER SYBASE SQL SERVER VERSIONS
-------------------------------------------
The Sybase CT-Lib driver does not support older versions
of the Sybase SQL Server. If you intend to use Sybase
SQL Server versions 4.x and below, you must use the BDE
Configuration Utility (on the Sybase Driver page) to
change the name of the DLL32 parameter from SQLSSC32.DLL
(the default) to SQLSYB32.DLL. If you cannot find the
SQLSYB32.DLL file then you will need to run the Install
program and select the Sybase DBLIB driver to install.
You will also need to set the environment variables PATH,
SYBASE, INCLUDE and LIB so that they do not refer to the
CT-Lib directory.

MULTIPLE ACTIVE STORED PROCEDURE SUPPORT
----------------------------------------
The Sybase CT-Lib SQL Link driver can now perform row
fetches from multiple stored procedures simultaneously using
the new property stmtEXECASCURSOR.

The stmtEXECASCURSOR property allows users to ask for a CT-Lib
cursor instead of  a CT-Lib command. CT-Lib cursors let the
user have multiple cursors open and fetch rows from those
simultaneously. With CT-Lib commands, all pending results
must be processed before executing the next operation.

This property is mainly for users who execute Sybase stored
procedures that return a result set. They can pass the SQL
string as "EXECUTE proc_name"  or "EXECUTE proc_name  :1,
:2, :3  ..." (if there are parameters), prepare the
statement, then set stmtEXECASCURSOR to True. This makes the
driver open cursors on the stored procedure instead of a
command.

Some limitations to this property:
1.  The stored procedure should not have any BDE output
    parameters or return status.
2.  Input parameters must be place holders in the SQL string
    and  must be bound before execution. (Literal substitution
    of parameter values in the string doesn't work).
3.  The stored procedure body should contain a single
    SELECT statement returning a single result set.

EXAMPLE:

   int main ()
   {
       // Initialize engine

       // Connect to database

       //Prepare a statement
       DbiQPrepare(hDb, .., .. , phStmt);

      // Set the property
      DbiSetProp(hStmt,  stmtEXECASCURSOR, TRUE);

      // Bind parameters if any

      //DbiQExec(hStmt, phCur);

       .
       .
       .

        return 0;
   }


9. MICROSOFT SQL DRIVER
=======================

USING DEFAULT MICROSOFT SQL DRIVER FLAGS SETTING
------------------------------------------------
If your Microsoft SQL Server faults while executing BLOB reads
or BLOB writes, check the SQL Link driver's DRIVER FLAGS
parameter.  If DRIVER FLAGS is set to 0 (the Microsoft SQL
default) set the DRIVER FLAGS parameter to 1. Setting DRIVER
FLAGS to 1 will enable you to execute BLOB reads and BLOB
writes without causing a server fault. This may cause the
client to receive SQL Server timeouts during BLOB writes.

SPECIFYING THE MS SQL QUERY API
-------------------------------
By default, SQL statements sent to MS SQL and Sybase servers
using  DB-Lib are now sent using the synchronous query submission
API. Earlier versions of SQL Links used the asynchronous query
submission API. To use the asynchronous query submission API, add
2048 to the current value of DRIVER FLAGS or set it to 2048 if
it's blank.


10. DB2 DRIVER
==============

DBCLOB DATA TYPE
----------------
The DB2 physical type DBCLOB is not currently supported
within the BDE even though schema information indicates
that it is an available type. It is suggested that you use
either CLOB or BLOB physical types.

STORED PROCEDURES
-----------------
The SQL Links driver for DB2 translates the logical BDE
string type (fldZSTRING) to a physical DB2 SQL_CHAR data
type when it is passed as a parameter to a stored procedure.
This can cause problems for stored procedures that are
hard-coded to expect a physical SQL_VARCHAR as a parameter.

Programmers should write stored procedures that examine the
sqltype member of the SQLDA structure (for example,
input_sqlda->sqlvar[i].sqltype) to determine which data type
the client has actually bound, instead of expecting a
specific data type.

CONNECTING TO AS/400 SERVERS
----------------------------
Due to a problem with IBM server software, remote
connections to DB2 on the AS/400 platform do not work
properly when version 2.1.0 or earlier of the DB2
client/server library is used. Version 2.1.1 of the
client/server library corrects the problem.

CREATING INDEXES ON AS/400 SERVERS
----------------------------------
Due to a problem with the IBM server software version
2.1.1, if you create a new index by specifying an index
name that includes lowercase characters and is enclosed
in double quotes ("<index_name>"), the index cannot be
accessed by the BDE.

For example, the following statement creates an
accessible index,

   CREATE INDEX CustNdx ON ....

but the following statement creates an index that the
BDE can't access,

   CREATE INDEX "CustNdx" ON ....

If creating an index through a call to DbiAddIndex(), the
szName member in the IDXDesc Parameter should only be
uppercase.

CREATING BLOB OR CLOB COLUMNS WITH DBICREATETABLE()
---------------------------------------------------
When using DbiCreateTable(), BLOB or CLOB columns created in
a DB2 table by the function are set by default to a size of
1MB. To create BLOB columns of different sizes, use
Passthrough SQL.

VARBINARY OUTPUT PARAMETERS IN STORED PROCEDURES
------------------------------------------------
In a stored procedure parameter description
(SPParamDesc.uFldType), normally a corresponding BDE logical
data type is specified. There is one exception. A varbinary
output parameter should specify fldBYTES instead of
fldVARBYTES.

CALLING BY NAME IN STORED PROCEDURES
------------------------------------
DB2 only supports calling by number in stored procedures.
Always use calling by number instead of calling by name.

CREATING SCHEMA OBJECTS ON IBM MVS
----------------------------------
There is an optional entry, within the alias settings of the
BDE configuration, called REMOTE DBN. This entry can be used
for setting the user's preferred database on IBM MVS. For
creating Schema objects using APIs like DbiCreateTable()
this entry should be set to the user's preferred database
name. This entry is only used for IBM MVS.

For example; REMOTE DBN = BORLAND will create objects in
database BORLAND and the query generated by  BDE will be
"CREATE TABLE TABNAME ( ... ) IN DATABASE BORLAND".

Ignoring this entry will create objects in the user's
default database.


11. INFORMIX DRIVER
===================

SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS
---------------------
The Informix SQL Link driver requires the latest client
software from Informix.

LIMITATIONS ON OPENING TABLES
-----------------------------
This edition of the Informix SQL Link driver does not
support opening a table with a column name that is an
Informix keyword or function name. Some examples include
MONTH, DAY, YEAR, AVG, COUNT, ALL, and UNIQUE.

For a complete list of keywords and function names, see
your Informix documentation.

COPYING INFORMIX TABLE WITH INTERVAL COLUMN
-------------------------------------------
When an Informix table with an interval column is copied,
the destination table is created with an interval that has
a qualifier of year-to-month. If this qualifier does not
match the source table's interval qualifier, you will
receive an error during the copy.

To work around this problem, use passthrough SQL to
create the destination table with the correct interval
qualifier. Then append the contents of the source table
to the destination table.

STORED PROCEDURE SUPPORT
------------------------
The Informix driver supports stored procedures.
Please note the following points:

1. Informix stored procedures have input parameters but
   no output parameters.

2. DbiOpenSPParamList returns all input parameters
   and sets SPParamDesc.uParamNum and SPParamDesc.szName
   starting from 1.

      SPParamDesc[0].uParamNum = 1
      SPParamDesc[0].szName = "1"
     and SPParamDesc[0].eParamType = paramIN;
      .
      .
      .

   The rest of the information for SPParamDescs
   (such as uFldType, usubType, iUnits1, iUnits2, uOffset,
    uLen, and uNullOffset) must be set by user.

RETRIEVING SQLCA INFORMATION
----------------------------
The Informix SQL Link driver includes an improved
passthrough property that contains native SQLCA information.
Users can use the drvNATIVESQLCA property with DbiGetProp()
to retrieve SQLCA information.

SQLCA information gives detailed data on Informix server
errors and exceptions. When an Informix error occurs, the
Informix Global SQLCA information for that error is
retrieved and retained by the SQL driver until the next time
the database server is accessed. General SQLCA information
is returned whenever an error hasn't occurred.

The following table shows the information that is made available.

                  *ppropValue        *pilen
Informix          SQLCA              sizeof(struct sqlca_s)

EXAMPLE

// Informix SQLCA structure from informix sqlca.h header file
struct sqlca_s
     {
     long sqlcode;
     char sqlerrm[72]; /* error message parameters */
     char sqlerrp[8];
     long sqlerrd[6];
               /* 0 - estimated number of rows returned */
               /* 1 - serial value after insert or  ISAM error code */
               /* 2 - number of rows processed */
               /* 3 - estimated cost */
               /* 4 - offset of the error into the SQL statement */
               /* 5 - rowid after insert  */
     struct sqlcaw_s
     {
     char sqlwarn0; /* = W if any of sqlwarn[1-7] = W */
     char sqlwarn1; /* = W if any truncation occurred or
                         database has transactions */
     char sqlwarn2; /* = W if a null value returned or
                         ANSI database */
     char sqlwarn3; /* = W if no. in select list != no. in into list or
                         turbo backend */
     char sqlwarn4; /* = W if no where clause on prepared update,
                         delete or incompatible float format */
     char sqlwarn5; /* = W if non-ANSI statement */
     char sqlwarn6; /* reserved */
     char sqlwarn7; /* reserved */
     } sqlwarn;
     };

struct sqlca_s mySqlca;

int main()
{
     // Initialize engine

     // Connect to database.

      //get the sqlca (on no exception)
      unsigned int len;
      DbiGetProp(hDb,drvNATIVESQLCA, &mySqlca, sizeof(sqlca_s),
                      &len);

     //get the sqlca (on an exception)
      DbiOpenTable(hDb, "non existing table", ...)

      DbiGetProp(hDb,drvNATIVESQLCA, &mySqlca, sizeof(sqlca_s),
                      &len);
       return 0;
}

SYSTEM TABLE STORAGE OF OBJECT NAMES
------------------------------------
Before storing object names in the system tables (such as table
names, index names, field names, and so on) the Informix driver
converts them to lowercase.

RETRIEVING INFORMIX DATABASE INFORMATION
----------------------------------------
The Informix SQL Link driver has three properties for determining
the type of database the BDE is connected to

   Property          Type     Description
   ---------------------------------------------------------
   dbONLINE          BOOL     TRUE if the database connected
                              is ONLINE type otherwise FALSE
   dbTRANALLOWED     BOOL     TRUE if the database connected
                              permits transactions otherwise
                              FALSE
   dbANSI            BOOL     TRUE if the database connected
                              is ANSI type otherwise FALSE

You can access these properties using the BDE function
DbiGetProp.

INFORMIX - USING NATIONAL LANGUAGE SETTINGS
-------------------------------------------
If your Informix client software is set up to use German language
settings, extraneous data may be displayed in CHAR or VARCHAR
fields. This is a problem with the client software and is being
investigated with Informix.  A workaround is to set all national
language parameters to blank using the Informix SETNET32 utility.

=================================================================