Informix, Getting Informix engine version info

Alan Popi
#1 / 11

Getting Informix engine version info

->
... lots of other stuff deleted ...
->
-> How does one know the SE version?
->
-> Please e-mail. Thanks!
->
->John

$INFORMIXDIR/lib/sqlexec -V
This was something I didn't know about.

However, there is another way as well. Starting with some 4.x version,
the data dictionary table 'systables' contains a dummy entry for 'version'.

I don't have access to any of my newer version databases at the moment,
(insert whine about using 2.10.03K database here) so I am working from
memory and you might need to adjust this slightly:

select tabname, owner { owner?? contains version number }
from systables
where tabname = 'version'; { or 'Version' ??? }
{ You can also try where tabid < 100. }

Again working from memory, I recall using this in 4.x and 5.x databases,
both SE and OnLine. I don't know whether this feature has been continued
in versions 6.x and 7.x.

Tue, 24 Dec 1996 00:53:04 GMT

Alan Popi
#2 / 11

Getting Informix engine version info

->> I don't have access to any of my newer version databases at the moment,
->> (insert whine about using 2.10.03K database here) so I am working from
->> memory and you might need to adjust this slightly:
->>
->> select tabname, owner { owner?? contains version number }
->> from systables
->> where tabname = 'version'; { or 'Version' ??? }
->> { You can also try where tabid < 100. }
->
->This works for me using ' VERSION' -- All caps with a blank space in
->front using ONLINE 5.**. I didn't know about this either, might come
->in handy.
->This will work for some things but in most cases one also needs its
->added extention.
->
->--
->Mikea

Mike,

Thanks for the confirmation. When you think about it, " VERSION" with
space and caps makes sense, because "version" would be a valid table name.

Was the version number returned in the "owner" column? How did the value
returned compare to the info returned by "sqlexec -V"? Did you find
any useful info in any of the other columns of systables? I don't recall
being able to find anything that said whether the engine/database was
SE or OnLine.

This kind of ID info might be useful to include in reports, *especially*
in organizations that run the same or similar software against multiple
databases, not all of which are at the same release level.

Tue, 24 Dec 1996 06:08:06 GMT

geo..
#3 / 11

Getting Informix engine version info

Well, I tried the select tabname, owner from systables where
tabname = 'version'. No rows selected. Turns out, that in
SE version 5 systables.version is an integer. Furthermore, the
enteries in this column, while they are all the same for tabid < 100
(system tables) they are different (and unique) for every other table.

Any further info is welcome.

George Teachman
USDA-SCS

Tue, 24 Dec 1996 06:18:13 GMT

Alan Popi
#4 / 11

Getting Informix engine version info

->Date: Thu, 7 Jul 94 16:01:26 MDT

->Subject: Re: Getting Informix engine version info
->
->Well, I tried the select tabname, owner from systables where
->tabname = 'version'. No rows selected. Turns out, that in
->SE version 5 systables.version is an integer. Furthermore, the
->enteries in this column, while they are all the same for tabid < 100
->(system tables) they are different (and unique) for every other table.
->
->Any further info is welcome.
->
->George Teachman
->USDA-SCS

Please don't confuse the column systables.version with the version of
the engine or database. Systables.version is incremented when you
UPDATE STATISTICS for a table, maybe at other times as well.

I think that I remember the engine/DB version being stored as a character
string in the owner column. As Mike A. pointed out, tabname = " VERSION",
not "version" as I misremembered. Note the leading space, and that
"version" is a valid table name.

Tue, 24 Dec 1996 06:50:37 GMT

Alan Popi
#5 / 11

Getting Informix engine version info

->Date: Thu, 7 Jul 94 16:01:26 MDT

->Subject: Re: Getting Informix engine version info
->
->Well, I tried the select tabname, owner from systables where
->tabname = 'version'. No rows selected. Turns out, that in
->SE version 5 systables.version is an integer. Furthermore, the
->enteries in this column, while they are all the same for tabid < 100
->(system tables) they are different (and unique) for every other table.
->
->Any further info is welcome.
->
->George Teachman
->USDA-SCS

Please don't confuse the column systables.version with the version of
the engine or database. Systables.version is incremented when you
UPDATE STATISTICS for a table, maybe at other times as well.

I think that I remember the engine/DB version being stored as a character
string in the owner column. As Mike A. pointed out, tabname = " VERSION",
not "version" as I misremembered. Note the leading space, and that
"version" is a valid table name.

Tue, 24 Dec 1996 06:50:35 GMT

Alan Popi
#6 / 11

Getting Informix engine version info

->Date: Thu, 7 Jul 94 16:01:26 MDT

->Subject: Re: Getting Informix engine version info
->
->Well, I tried the select tabname, owner from systables where
->tabname = 'version'. No rows selected. Turns out, that in
->SE version 5 systables.version is an integer. Furthermore, the
->enteries in this column, while they are all the same for tabid < 100
->(system tables) they are different (and unique) for every other table.
->
->Any further info is welcome.
->
->George Teachman
->USDA-SCS

Please don't confuse the column systables.version with the version of
the engine or database. Systables.version is incremented when you
UPDATE STATISTICS for a table, maybe at other times as well.

I think that I remember the engine/DB version being stored as a character
string in the owner column. As Mike A. pointed out, tabname = " VERSION",
not "version" as I misremembered. Note the leading space, and that
"version" is a valid table name.

Tue, 24 Dec 1996 06:50:35 GMT

Alan Popi
#7 / 11

Getting Informix engine version info

->Date: Thu, 7 Jul 94 16:01:26 MDT

->Subject: Re: Getting Informix engine version info
->
->Well, I tried the select tabname, owner from systables where
->tabname = 'version'. No rows selected. Turns out, that in
->SE version 5 systables.version is an integer. Furthermore, the
->enteries in this column, while they are all the same for tabid < 100
->(system tables) they are different (and unique) for every other table.
->
->Any further info is welcome.
->
->George Teachman
->USDA-SCS

Please don't confuse the column systables.version with the version of
the engine or database. Systables.version is incremented when you
UPDATE STATISTICS for a table, maybe at other times as well.

I think that I remember the engine/DB version being stored as a character
string in the owner column. As Mike A. pointed out, tabname = " VERSION",
not "version" as I misremembered. Note the leading space, and that
"version" is a valid table name.

Tue, 24 Dec 1996 06:50:35 GMT

Alan Popi
#8 / 11

Getting Informix engine version info

->Date: Thu, 7 Jul 94 16:01:26 MDT

->Subject: Re: Getting Informix engine version info
->
->Well, I tried the select tabname, owner from systables where
->tabname = 'version'. No rows selected. Turns out, that in
->SE version 5 systables.version is an integer. Furthermore, the
->enteries in this column, while they are all the same for tabid < 100
->(system tables) they are different (and unique) for every other table.
->
->Any further info is welcome.
->
->George Teachman
->USDA-SCS

Please don't confuse the column systables.version with the version of
the engine or database. Systables.version is incremented when you
UPDATE STATISTICS for a table, maybe at other times as well.

I think that I remember the engine/DB version being stored as a character
string in the owner column. As Mike A. pointed out, tabname = " VERSION",
not "version" as I misremembered. Note the leading space, and that
"version" is a valid table name.

Tue, 24 Dec 1996 06:50:43 GMT

Robert Mint
#9 / 11

Getting Informix engine version info

From Alan Popiel:

<< STUFF DELETED >>

* I don't have access to any of my newer version databases at the moment,
* (insert whine about using 2.10.03K database here) so I am working from
* memory and you might need to adjust this slightly:
*
* select tabname, owner { owner?? contains version number }
* from systables
* where tabname = 'version'; { or 'Version' ??? }
* { You can also try where tabid < 100. }
*
* Again working from memory, I recall using this in 4.x and 5.x databases,
* both SE and OnLine. I don't know whether this feature has been continued
* in versions 6.x and 7.x.

The exact syntax is:

select owner { owner contains version number }
from systables
where tabname = ' VERSION';

This works except for the VERSION doesn't include the extension of the version.
In 4.10.UC2, the UC2 is missing, so systables.owner returns 4.10. It gets you
close, though.

Tue, 24 Dec 1996 09:48:11 GMT

geo..
#10 / 11

Getting Informix engine version info

I tried the " VERSION" suggestion and it worked on both On-Line 5.02 and
SE 5.00. The version number was returned in the owner column of th
query output.

Thanks for the tip.

George

Tue, 24 Dec 1996 21:58:06 GMT

Con Wooda
#11 / 11

Getting Informix engine version info

Quote:

} ->
} ... lots of other stuff deleted ...
} ->
} -> How does one know the SE version?
} ->
} -> Please e-mail. Thanks!
} ->
} ->John
}

} $INFORMIXDIR/lib/sqlexec -V
} This was something I didn't know about.
}
} However, there is another way as well. Starting with some 4.x version,
} the data dictionary table 'systables' contains a dummy entry for 'version'.
}
} I don't have access to any of my newer version databases at the moment,

Stuff left out

Quote:

}
} Regards,
} Alan ___________________________
} ______________________| R. Alan Popiel |__________________________

On line 5.01 carries an entry in systables for tabid 99 and tabname
" VERSION" --that is a blank before capital VERSION and 5.01 is in the
"owner" column.
--
Con Woodall Colorado St. U.; Veterinary Teach. Hosp.; Ft. Collins CO 80523;

You can do anything with a computer, but you might not want to.
--

Sat, 28 Dec 1996 01:28:06 GMT