Email Password Remember me?  Lost your password?

• Download source files - 7.52 Kb
• Download demo project (includes the Embedded Firebird engine, ADO.NET provider and a sample database) - 889 Kb

The advantages of Embedded Firebird

Firebird is a database with 20 years of history, full set of features (including transactions, stored procedures, hot-backup, excellent scalability, etc.) and a friendly open source license. It is an overlooked but compelling alternative to Microsoft Jet and Microsoft MSDE 2000/SQL Express 2005. Let's take a look at how it can be used embedded in your desktop application. What makes Embedded Firebird ideal for embedding:

• The embedded runtime is < 2 MB (starting at just one DLL + one .NET assembly). The runtime is deployed by simple copying, no installation or component registration is required.
• The database file (it's just a single file) can have any name and extension. You can associate the extension with your application.
• The migration to a standalone server couldn't be easier. Just copy the database file to the server and change a connection string on your client.

Working with Embedded Firebird

To start using Embedded Firebird in .NET, you need to download:

• Embedded Firebird Engine (current stable version is 1.5.2)
• Firebird ADO.NET Provider (current stable version is 1.6.3)

After creating a new project in Visual Studio .NET, add a reference to FirebirdSql.Data.Firebird.dll (from Firebird ADO.NET Provider installation), and copy fbembed.dll (from Embedded Firebird ZIP package) to the project output directory (e.g., bin/Debug).

The Firebird ADO.NET Provider can connect to a standalone Firebird Server using a connection string like this:

FbConnection c = new FbConnection("ServerType=0;User=SYSDBA;" + 
         "Password=masterkey;Dialect=3;Database=c:\\data\\mydb.fdb");

It can connect to an embedded Firebird using this connection string:

FbConnection c = new FbConnection("ServerType=1;User=SYSDBA;" + 
                 "Password=masterkey;Dialect=3;Database=mydb.fdb");

The database path can be relative to fbembed.dll when using the Embedded Firebird.

You see that switching from embedded and standalone Firebird and vice versa is a piece of cake.

Creating a new database

There are two ways to create a new database:

• Creating a database programmatically.
• Copying an existing database template.

It's up to you which way you choose. Copying an existing database is easy (just make sure the template is not open before copying), so let's try to create it programmatically.

Hashtable parameters = new Hashtable();
parameters.Add("User", "SYSDBA");
parameters.Add("Password", "masterkey");
parameters.Add("Database", @"mydb.fdb");
parameters.Add("ServerType", 1);
FbConnection.CreateDatabase(parameters);

Continue as usual

Working with Firebird ADO.NET Provider is easy. You will reuse your experience with other ADO.NET providers. It even has some nice features, like calling the stored procedures using the MSSQL style:

FbCommand cmd = new FbCommand("MYSTOREDPROCEDURE", 
            new FbConnection(connectionString));
cmd.CommandType = CommandType.StoredProcedure;
cmd.Parameters.Add("@first", "value1");
cmd.Parameters.Add("@second", "value2");
cmd.Connection.Open();
try
{
    cmd.ExecuteNonQuery();
}
finally
{
    cmd.Connection.Close();
}

Useful Resources

• Using Firebird in .NET.
• Firebird database.
• FlameRobin (open-source administration tool - currently in alpha).
• IBExpert (administration tool, free Personal Edition download).
• Other Firebird tools.

You must Sign In to use this message board.

Per page 102550

FirstPrevNext

How Maintain Firebird Embedded Connection Open!?!?! Rafael Fernandes Brasil 5:07 25 Aug '09   Hello I´m developing an application using Firebird Embedded, and I would like to know how I can maintain the connection open, in other words, I would like through a Module to open the connection with the database and then close when the application stop. Oww sorry, I´m using VB.NET 2008. Thnks Rafael Brasil Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Still Supported? Jawz-X 11:24 8 Sep '08   I've been planing to implement this in to a small program that I'm writing (which I may release on CodeProject) but it appears that Embedded Firebird is not longer supported. I found this: http://www.firebirdsql.org/dotnetfirebird/index.html[^] which is different from the link given to the article. In short, the project was donated to the Core Firebird project. I thought that this was great, it might mean tighter integration. However after some more sifting around, it appears that the project has never been updated. To the best of my ability I've been able to determine this embedded package supports Firebird 2.0.1 on .NET 2.0. But I was hoping to use Firebird 2.1 on .NET 3.5. But quite simply does anyone know one way or another if this project is still supported? Thank you, Frank Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink 5.00/5 Re: Still Supported? Dr.Serdar 13:35 12 Sep '08   fortunately it is still supported Firebird 2.1 servers www.ibphoenix.com/main.nfs?a=ibphoenix&page=ibp_download_21[^] Firebird Version 2.5.0 Alpha 2 for Microsoft .NET 3.5 and 2.0 http://www.ibphoenix.com/main.nfs?a=ibphoenix&page=ibp_download_dotnet[^] Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink 5.00/5 Re: Still Supported? Jawz-X 9:22 16 Sep '08   Ahh, I see. I was looking at the wrong pages. How confusing. Anyway, I actually decided to go with SQLite for my project. Same concept but so far support has been better for it. Plus, I'm too deep in now to switch back. Thank you for your reply and the information! Regards, Frank Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink doesn't work for firebird 2 ujal 22:10 17 Aug '08   this is not working for firebird 2 might be because of version of dlls, any idea??? ujjwal Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink 5.00/5 Problems with Stored Procedures with Embedded Firebird 2.0 kiweed 8:13 17 Jan '08   Hi, i switched from Super Server 2.0 to embedded version. Everything almost ok, select, inserts, deletes work fine. However, stored procedures won't work at all, which of course worked well on the SuperServer. Is this normal? Is there something to change on those procedures in order to get them working? Thanks for your time folks. Daniel Sovino Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Help K_Farhod 23:46 17 Sep '07   How can I change .fdb files? Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Re: Help _CloudyOne_ 15:01 5 Jun '08   .fdb stands for firebird database. You "change" it by using firebirdsql to access it, sending mysql commands to edit,add to, and remove from it. Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink DLL Not Found jet85 8:31 8 May '07   Please, help! When compile example sources myself, at runtime exception occured "Unable to load DLL 'fbembed'" I put fbembed.dll in bin/Debug path, but still not work(( Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Re: DLL Not Found tcdavis 7:06 9 May '07   jet85 wrote: When compile example sources myself, at runtime exception occured "Unable to load DLL 'fbembed'" I put fbembed.dll in bin/Debug path, but still not work(( I am having the same problem. I am working with C#, .NET 2.0. The Firebird DB is version 2. I can connect to the embedded database with IBExpert. I have the embedded engine and Firebird client installed and a reference to it added to my project. Is there something else I'm missing? Thanks! TC Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Re: DLL Not Found jet85 10:04 10 May '07   I solved this problem. Files icudt30.dll, icuin30.dll, icuuc30.dll must also putted in work directory. I think it relevant only for Firebird version 2. What is mission of these files? And how to use fb without them? Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Re: DLL Not Found tcdavis 10:14 10 May '07   I forgot I had posted this question. I figured it out yesterday morning and got my connection to open! Now I just need to figure out how to add the Firebird db to my data sources in VS 2005... TC Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Re: DLL Not Found balazs_hideghety 4:41 16 Jul '07   In some cases this still is not enough. For example on a win2003 server it's impossible to get such an application run. I've trying now to include also the irectory Intl from the FBEmbed setup... Also someone said that putting the above mentioned DLLs (fbemned, icuuc30, etc.) to the windows\system32 will solve the problem, but didnt C#, ASPX, SQL, novice to NHibernate Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Re: DLL Not Found DaberElay 11:55 31 Jan '09   dude u rock!, solved my daily headacke... Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink not managed Andrew Shapira 4:11 4 Feb '07   From the Firebird FAQ[^] it seems that Firebird uses a DLL called Fbembed.dll that is not managed. That is, embedding Firebird is unsafe in the C# / common language infrastructure sense of "unsafe". This means that an application that embeds Firebird cannot be installed in scenarios that require safe (trusted) applications. I wanted to point this out in case anyone else, like me, was searching for a safe embeddable SQL database setup. SQLite with System.Data.SQLite seems to have the same characteristics. The search continues.. By the way, does the term "embedded database" used in this article have a standard meaning? There is no Wikipedia entry for it. Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Change the password? Ismok 16:39 15 Jan '07   Is it possible to change the password (masterkey) for the embedded? Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Re: Change the password? Balazs Zoltan 22:27 16 Jan '07   Since the password for the Firebird database is not stored in the db there is no point of doing that. If someone copies your db she/he will be able to open it with the default sysdba/masterkey. The user/password has a meaning and point when remote users are connecting to a Firebird server (when you can't get physical access to the db). I think this is how it works on Fb. company, work and everything else www.netis.ro Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Re: Change the password? transoft 10:02 8 Sep '09   Do you have any suggestions for database protection? So nobody can easily open the firebird database file. Thanks, Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Help Help Help LinXG 15:06 28 Nov '06   Hi; I need some help connecting to a regular 1.5 Firebird database using VB.Net. Here's a sample of what I have and the error I'm getting. (I should point that I'm totally new to VB.Net) Public Class Form1 Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click Dim myConnection As FbConnection Dim myCommand As FbCommand ..... The errors tell me that the FbConnection and FbCommand are undefined types. I have FirebirdClient-2.0 installed. I'm obviously leaving out whatever defines FbConnection and FbCommand, however I have know idea what I'm missing and could use a bit of assistance. Thanks Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Re: Help Help Help ArgoDragon 16:36 4 Dec '06   this may help you in vb.net it did me example code from www.experts-exchange.com post hope you find it useful Pern Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink demo source(embedded firebird) newgendb 8:24 23 Nov '06   I installed the demo source for this article, Embedded Firebird: Full-Featured Embedded Database with 2 MB Runtime By Dan Letecky. when I build the application I get this error Error 1 The type or namespace name 'FirebirdSql' could not be found (are you missing a using directive or an assembly reference?) C:\firebirdASP\EmbeddedFirebirdExample\Form1.cs 7 7 EmbeddedFirebirdExample I installed the ado.net provider, the using directive is there, and the assembly reference what am I missing?? in visual studio 2005, how should I check if the provider is properly installed? is there another demo code somewhere with detailled steps on installing the provider? I am new at this, and probably missing a step can somebody please help Daniel Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink 2.00/5 Re: demo source(embedded firebird) Balazs Zoltan 9:09 23 Nov '06   You need to install the Firebird.Net provider too. Usually it installs to C:\Program Files\FirebirdNETProvider1.7 Then you need to add a reference to the "FirebirdSql.Data.Firebird.dll" file. It is just like using any other assembly. company, work and everything else www.netis.ro Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Re: demo source(embedded firebird) newgendb 9:17 23 Nov '06   Thanks for the reply isn't FireBirdSQL.Data.FirebirdClient not the provider for .net 2.0? or I need to install both? if not what is it? Daniel Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Re: demo source(embedded firebird) Balazs Zoltan 10:07 23 Nov '06   When you're adding the reference you will see something similar "Firebird .Net Data Provider" after you installed the Firebird .Net provider. newgendb wrote: FireBirdSQL.Data.FirebirdClient not the provider for .net 2.0? or I need to install both? From where you got that ? company, work and everything else www.netis.ro Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Re: demo source(embedded firebird) newgendb 10:14 23 Nov '06   thanks from here, it just confuse me http://firebird.sourceforge.net/index.php?op=files&id=netprovider Daniel Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink

Last Visit: 17:17 21 Nov '09     Last Update: 17:17 21 Nov '09 12345 Next »