Steve Dirickson <[log in to unmask]> writes (in part):

> It was a cop-out when I first heard it years ago, and it's still a cop-out
> today. Validated data, enforced types, engine-guaranteed logical
integrity,
> and similar concepts are just as much an integral part of the "base data"
of
> an application as are the size of the "Order Number" field or the link
from
> an invoice number to the associated payment. If my data system allows me
to
> delete the record defining an inventory item while there are still
> outstanding orders asking for that item, that system has failed in one of
> its primary responsibilities. If it lets me enter "78 March 2001" into a
> date field (an easy "fat finger" typo for today's date), it hasn't done
its
> job.

My own, personal opinion on this is summed up in a quote from one of our
plant engineers:

"Leave the canvas blank and allow the artist to work"

Enforcing data rules at the DBMS level would lead to an RPG-style DBMS (I
programmed in RPG long ago and found it usefule for most programs, but if I
wanted to do something out of the ordinary, I ended up fighting the built-in
logic to get the job done).

And for what it's worth, Image can enforce referential data integrity rules
(of the type you mentioned) via master-detail relationships.

Jim Phillips                           Information Systems Manager
Email: [log in to unmask]     Therm-O-Link, Inc.
Phone: 330-527-2124                         P. O. Box 285
Fax:   330-527-2123                           10513 Freedom Street
Web:   http://www.tolwire.com          Garrettsville, OH  44231