To: dbi-announce@fugue.com, dbi-dev@fugue.com, dbi-users@fugue.com,
        informix-list@rmy.emory.edu, descarte@hermetica.com
Subject: ANNOUNCE: DBD::Informix Version 0.56 released

The next release of DBD::Informix, version 0.56, has been uploaded to CPAN.
It will be available worldwide in a day or three.

DBD::Informix is the driver code that enables Perl 5.003 or 5.004 to access
Informix databases via the DBI module (you'll need the code for both DBI
version 0.85 and DBD::Informix).  The code is available for download via:

http://www.perl.org/CPAN/modules/by-category/07_Database_Interfaces
http://www.hermetica.com/technologia/perl/DBI

New in this release:
* Changes in Informix-specific attribute names as forecast.
* Fix esqltest to work when run against a MODE ANSI database.
* Add support for DBI->data_sources(); drop support for _List_DBs().
* Add support for $sth->rows().
* Fix memory leak when using any of the attributes which return arrays.
* Provide workaround for bug B42204 (error -1800 on disconnect) when a 7.x
  ESQL/C program (ie DBD::Informix) talks to a 5.0x server (OnLine or SE).
* Convert from SCCS to RCS.  It grieves me to do this -- I dislike the lack
  of control over RCS identifier strings embedded into object files (I hate
  the Author, State and Locker components in the Id string, for example),
  but SCCS doesn't have year 2000 support in it so I upgraded to avoid
  problems in the not too distant future.  Damn!
* Drop SCCS.Log after an underwhelming number of requests (zero) to retain
  it and an overwhelming number of suggestions (one) to remove it, and in
  any case, the change to RCS means it would have to have been renamed.
* Make $dbh->{ix_AutoErrorReport} a synonym for the DBI provided
  $h->{PrintError} attribute.
* Important changes to AutoCommit handling.
  -- DBI defines the default as On (because all databases can handle it),
     so DBD::Informix will always connect by default with AutoCommit on.
  -- The new-style DBI->connect() notation allows you to override this
     behaviour with an attribute.
  -- This may cause problems for MODE ANSI database scripts.
  -- Note that executing a BEGIN WORK command does not change the
     AutoCommit behaviour or the value of the attribute, which makes BEGIN
     WORK irrelevant because the new transaction will be committed if
     AutoCommit is on and will fail if AutoCommit is off.
  -- You can (only) start a transaction by setting AutoCommit off.
  -- Ideally, if you attempt to connect to an unlogged database with
     AutoCommit off, the connection will be rejected with error -256
     'Transaction not available'.  However, because the attribute is not
     set by DBI until after the basic connect operation is complete, this
     does not happen.

Still to do:
* Investigate whether using sqlda structures in place of SQL descriptors
  makes a significant difference to the performance of DBD::Informix.
* Integrate sqlcmd.sh into the build more thoroughly.  Document it.  Make
  it bomb-proof (for example, it fails horribly if you don't have a '-d'
  option on the command line because there isn't a way to connect to a
  database.
* Add info_cols and info_tables methods somewhere.

Let me know of problems, as usual, and solutions too when you have them.

Enjoy!

Jonathan Leffler (johnl@informix.com) #include <disclaimer.h>

PS: Read the README file.  Also read the Informix.Licence file.

@(#)$Id: Announce,v 56.2 1997/07/09 17:45:20 johnl Exp $
