We want to design our application so that it can be easily converted to
use a databse of a customer's choice. We are hoping to use Local SQL for
this purpose. Is there anything we should be aware of as regards what to
do and not to do so we can achieve this goal?

Thank you.

Tom.

You should be aware that the performance of local SQL against Paradox and
dBase tables is pathetic to the point of being unusable. This problem has
been an incredible pain for me, b/c I am developing an app that I'd like
to run against both local and C/S databases. TQuery is best for C/S, and
TTable is best for local. Right now I'm going with ODBC to Access (yuck)
for the local database b/c SQL (TQuery) performance is at least acceptable.
That way I can use TQueries everywhere.

You may want to check out DirectAccess by Opus Software. What Opus has
done is integrate Microsoft's Data Access Objects (DOA) interface into
Delphi 2.0. This means you have direct (no ODBC) control over the Jet
3.0 database engine which ships with Access 7.0, using the same
classes as  VB 4.0 and MS VC 4.0.

I just installed the demo (you can find it on the Delphi Super Page)
and it works great so far.  I was stuck programming with VB 4.0, but
Delphi + Direct Access seems to be the best of both worlds.

- Cliff