Kim Heckler noted:

> I agree Flexibase is a good tool.  But I will warn you that
> Flexibase does not handle jumbo datasets.  Also, according
> to the vendor, they have no plans to enhance Flexibase to
> handle jumbos.

Brian or someone else more familiar with current Flexibase will I
trust correct me if I am wrong:  Besides not handling JUMBOs,
I believe Flexibase also cannot deal with Master Dataset Dynamic
Expansion (DDX).  I don't recall right now what if any support
Flexibase has for IMAGE B-Trees (my recollection is that it does
not support B-Trees, but I could be wrong about that).  Also keep
in mind that "soon" HP will be releasing newer versions of IMAGE
that incorporate major internal changes and limit expansions;  i.e.:

(1)  Increase max number of sets to 250.
(2)  Increase max number of items to 1234.
(3)  Increase max paths in a Master (not Details) to 64.
(4)  Option to change internal record keeping from "EntryByName"
      to 32-bit "EntryByNumber" (both formats will still be supported).
(5)  Use MPE "Large Files" to get > 80 GB in one dataset,
      instead of increasing the number of JUMBO chunk files.

If you do not use ANY of the above new features my guess is that
Flexibase will probably continue to work even on newer versions of
IMAGE (but PLEASE do not take my guess as the final word).   But
running Flexibase on a database that DOES incorporate some or all
of the above is likely I expect to lead at best to a program abort (if
you are lucky);  and potentially to database corruption (if Murphy is
with you); unless Flexibase is enhanced to support the new features.

Note I expect this caution also applies to some degree to older
versions of Adager and DB General;  i.e.:  If you start using any of
these new IMAGE features, you should be sure that you have a
current version of your favorite database tool that fully supports
the new capabilities in IMAGE....

Associated caution while I'm in that mode:  Don't even THINK about
running HP's DBChange against an IMAGE database that uses the
above new features:  DBChange stopped keeping up with IMAGE
some time ago.  The third-party vendors are the only source for an
up-to-date TurboIMAGE tool....

Ken Sletten
SIGIMAGE Chair