Re: File transfer through the database

Anno Domini 24-12-2005 12:33, Frank van Bortel sprak aldus:

>Eric de Redelijkheid wrote:
>
>
>>Hello,
>>
>>Oracle 9iR2 Enterprise edition on Tru64 5.1B
>>
>>We currently have a database application that creates RTF-documents on
>>an UNIX-directory. For Windows-clients to read those documents, we have
>>to transfer these files, either by ftp or, as I currently do, by HTTP
>>(Internet Explorer starts with MS-WORD; the document is loaded). We do
>>this in a single script with the document name as parameter.
>>
>>The HTTP-server is a different machine, wich has to be retired from
>>service, so I would like a different option.
>>
>>I am thinking of two possibilities:
>>
>> 1. load the file line by line in a table with UTL_FILE, spool those
>> lines to a RTF-file on a Windows directory and load this file in Word.
>> 2. insert a pointer to this file in a BFILE column in a table,
>> dowload this file to Windows and start Word.
>>
>>The first seems straightforward, but only works for textfiles and I
>>don't get the entire file at once. I'd rather have something more generic.
>>
>>I don't know how to get about the second option. I can create the table.
>>When using TOAD, I can doubleclick on a field in that BFILE column and a
>>Window appears asking me if I want to run the associated program. The
>>document is then loaded in MS Word.
>>
>>Since normal users do not have TOAD, I need another way to run a single
>>script with only the document name as parameter, which does the trick
>>for me. I am not a programmer, but a DBA. What do I use best? PL/SQL,
>>Java, Forms? Has anyone got example-code?
>>
>>I do not have the possibility to install any additional software on the
>>clients. They normally access the database using Forms 6.
>>
>>
>
>Don't generate the documents to an external directory, but feed them to
>the client directly, using an ms-word mime type.
>Or define the directory used as an Oracle directory, and use external
>tables; I'd think a line does not exceed 4k characters, so varchar2
>should do the trick. Less intrusive on the application: the files
>are still where they used to be.
>Performance on external tables is quite acceptable - I've used this
>for Dutch Postal codes verification.
>
>

The problem I still have is: how do I make this BFILE feed to the client in MS Word?

Is there a way for instance in Forms (6i by the way; not 6) to fetch the BFILE field and automaticly start MS Word as you would by doubleclicking on a RTF-file in explorer or by giving the command "start document.rtf" on the Windows command line? Example code would be helpfull. I have a hard time finding any usefull documentation. Received on Wed Dec 28 2005 - 09:37:19 CST