[thelist] idc files?

[Salvatore Palmisano]

This link is to an IDC wizard MS makes available:
http://support.microsoft.com/support/Frontpage/idc/idcwiz.asp

and here is what MSDN had to say about them:
***
Internet Database Connector Files (.IDC Files)
The Internet Database Connector uses ASCII files saved with an .IDC
extension to get information on how to connect to an ODBC data source and
how to execute an SQL statement. These files contain several required fields
and may also include optional fields that contain the information necessary
to execute a query.

Required fields
Field Description
Datasource The name of the ODBC data source.
Template The name of the HTML extension file (HTX files—ASCII files saved
with an .HTX extension) to be used to format data returned from a query.
(For more information, see the "HTML Extension Files" section below.)
SQLStatement The SQL statement to execute. Parameter values must be enclosed
with percent characters (%). The SQL statement can span multiple lines; each
line that is part of the SQL statement must begin with a plus sign (+). The
value in this field can also contain the name of an existing table or query
saved in the Microsoft Access database. When you refer to an existing table
or query, you must enclose the object name with the accent character (`).
Note: You must use the ODBC SQL format and not the Microsoft Access SQL
format to construct these queries. For more information, consult the
Msjetsql.hlp file in your Windows\System directory.

Optional fields
Field Description
DefaultParameters Values that will be used in the SQL statement if a
parameter is not specified by the client.
Expires The number of seconds to wait before refreshing a cached output
page. When the same query is run, the cached page is returned without
accessing the data source again. The Expires field is used to force a
requery of the database after the specified time period. By default,
HTTPODBC.DLL will cache pages only when the Expires field setting is used.
MaxFieldSize The maximum buffer space allocated per record. The default
value is 8192 bytes.
MaxRecords The maximum number of records returned from any one query. By
default, HTTPODBC.DLL returns all records. You use this setting to limit the
number of records returned.
Password A user name. You include this field only if a password is required.
RequiredParameters Parameter names that must be passed from the browser. If
these parameters are not passed by the browser, an error occurs.
Username A user name that is used to access SQL Server databases that are
not running integrated security.

For example, the following is the text from the A_V_Cust.idc file in the Job
Forum sample application:

Datasource: JobForum
Template: ViewAvail.htx
DefaultParameters: ListingDate=12/1/95, JobTitle=%%, JobDesc=%%, JobCity=%%,
JobState=%%, JobAreaCode=%%, JobZip=%%, JobDesc1=%%, JobDesc2=%%
MaxRecords: 50
SQLStatement:
+SELECT *
+FROM %JobType%
+WHERE ListingDate>=#%ListingDate%#
+AND JobTitle LIKE '%%%JobTitle%%%' AND JobDesc LIKE '%%%JobDesc%%%'
+AND JobDesc LIKE '%%%JobDesc1%%%' AND JobDesc LIKE '%%%JobDesc2%%%'
+AND  JobCity LIKE '%JobCity%' AND  JobState LIKE '%JobState%'
+AND  JobAreacode LIKE '%JobAreaCode%'AND JobZip Like '%JobZip%' AND
Filled=%Filled%
***

The short version?  They're ugly and convert to ASP as soon as possible.

--Salvatore Palmisano
Chief Information Officer
International Security Solutions, Inc.
spalmisano at usaiss.com

-----Original Message-----
From: thelist-admin at lists.evolt.org
[mailto:thelist-admin at lists.evolt.org]On Behalf Of Luther, Ron
Sent: Friday, March 02, 2001 1:02 PM
To: 'thelist at lists.evolt.org'
Subject: [thelist] idc files?


Hi Gang,


I may be inheriting a Frontpage [shudder] designed project.

It has a form that seems to post to a "foo.idc" script.

I've managed to determine that idc stands for Internet Database Connector
document.

But that's about the end of my knowledge --- anybody got any info?

[I've got about four hours to broadbrush an estimate of the effort required
to convert this bugger to ASP or another tool we use.]

Thanks,


Ron L.