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Firebird 1.5 Embedded Server notes (Beta and RC builds)
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1. GENERIC INFORMATION

  The embedded server is a fully functional server linked
  as a dynamic library (fbembed.dll). It has exactly the
  same features as the usual server and exports the
  standard Firebird API entrypoints.

2. ISSUES AND LIMITATIONS

  2.1. Registry

    The Firebird registry entries are ignored. The root
    directory of the embedded server is the directory of
    its binary file (library).

  2.2. Database access

    Only true local access is allowed. The embedded server
    doesn't have any support for remote protocols, so even
    access via "localhost" won't work.

  2.3. Authentication and security

    The security database (namely security.fdb) is not used
    in the embedded server and hence is not required. Any
    user is able to attach to any database. Since both
    the server and the client run in the same address space,
    the security becomes just an agreement between both
    sides which can be easily compromised.

    But note that SQL privileges are still checked.

  2.4. Compatibility

    You may run any number of applications with the embedded
    server without any conflicts. Having IB/FB server running
    is not a problem either.

    But you should be aware that you cannot access single
    database from a number of the embedded servers
    simultaneously, because they have SuperServer architecture
    and hence exclusively lock attached databases.

3. USAGE

  Just copy fbembed.dll into the directory with your
  application. Then rename it to either fbclient.dll or
  gds32.dll depending on your database connectivity software.
  Then start your application and it will use the embedded
  server as a client library and will be able to access
  local datasases. You should also copy firebird.msg and
  firebird.conf (if necessary) to the same directory.

  If external libraries are required for your application,
  then you should have them separately. Most probably, it
  will be INTL support (fbintl.dll) or UDF libraries. To
  be able to use them, you should place them into the
  directory tree which emulates the Firebird server one,
  i.e. has subdirectories like /intl or /udf. Then open
  your firebird.conf and set RootDirectory to the
  aforementioned directory tree. Example:

  /my_app/app.exe
  /my_app/gds32.dll
  /my_app/firebird.conf
  /my_app/fb/firebird.msg
  /my_app/fb/intl/fbintl.dll
  /my_app/fb/udf/fbudf.dll

  firebird.conf:
  RootDirectory = /my_app/fb