README for xmsql version 0.1	02.5.1995
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

xmsql is a X-interface to the mSQL database engine. 

xmsql was inspired by Guptas SQL-Talk.
I've developed xmsql to have a friendlier interface to mSQL. For
me it was more or less an eXercice in X-programming.
xmsql was developed under Linux 1.0.9 / X11R5. 
It may or may not work under other systems 
(it actually compiled under SunOS but did not show correct behaviour).

Note that xmsql is alpha. Install and use on your own risc.


You must have  mSQL installed to compile (and use) xmsql.
mSQL is a database engine, developed by David J. Hughes.

INSTALL
-------
unzip and untar xmsql-0.1.tar.z

edit Makefile: 
set the correct pathes for MSQLINC and MSQLLIB 
execute "make".


USAGE
-----
Input, Output

The main parts of the xmsql-window are the input- and output- textwidgets
which can be sized by a paned-widget. 
The upper one is the input-window.
You enter your (m)SQL-statements there. 
End each statement with a ";" (so single statements are separated by ";").
Hit <Ctrl>Return to execute.
If a statement extends one line, the cursor (insertion caret) must
be located in the last line.
If more than one statement should be executed select the statements with the
mouse and use the menu-item "execute selection".

The output-window will display the result of the (m)SQL-statement.

The statusline at the bottom of the app-window will display more or less 
usefull messages (i.e. error messages).


Menu Button "File"

"load" 	load a file into the input window
"save" 	save the contents of the input window to a file
"quit" 	quit msql (obvious)

Menu Button: "Control"

"connect to local server"   make a connection to the local msql engine.
			    The msql engine must run on the local host if 
			    this command should be successful
"connect to remote server"  like "connect to local server" but on a 
			    remote host. You will be asked to
			    enter the name of the remote host, which runs 
			    the engine.
"list tables & fields" 	    pops up an window with two listboxes, the right 
			    of which contains the names of the tables of 
			    the current database. Click on a tablename 
			    to fill the left list with the names of the 
			    table colums.
"execute selection"	    executes all selected statements.
			    If these statements are select-statements, 
			    only the result of the last one  will be 
			    displayed (more usefull for inserts and updates).


"Combo-Box"

If successfully connected to a msql-engine the combo-list will display the 
names of all available databases. Click on the arrow-label to popdown this
list. Select the database to work with. The selection will now (hopefully) be
displayed in the text field right from the arrow label.



BUGS
----
xmsql is not assumed to be bug-free.
Because of little testing and because I'm new to X, there may be lots
of undetected bugs (even serious). If you find bugs, please mail.

Send bugs to: sd@muwiinfa.geschichte.uni-mainz.de


KNOWN BUGS
----------
-The "combo box" does not always function.
 Not always will the database, selected in the list also be displayed in the
 text field (and not be selected as the current DB to work with).
 This could be a timing problem.

-The table & column info box is not automatically updated when the 
 database is changed.

-There is no query wether changes in the input-window should be saved,
 when you quit or try to load a new file.



LICENSE
-------
This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
if under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
the Free Software Foundation; either version 2, or (at your opinion)
any later version.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
WITHOUT ANY WARRENTY; without even the implied warrenty of 
MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU
General Public License for more details.

You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License;
if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc. 675 Mass Ave,
Cambridge, MA 02139, USA. 




Stefan Dupont-Christ
sd@muwiinfa.geschichte.uni-mainz.de
