[mdb-dev] Port libmdb (mdb-tools) for iOS

Discussion:

Robert Zermeno

2012-08-10 16:19:41 UTC

Ladies/Gents,

I just became a memeber and I hope the community can now receive my message. If you have received it twice, I am sorry.

I am trying to read MSAccess mdb files on my iOS on the fly and saw this product. I know it is not written for iOS, but has anyone tried to make it work?
For the day and a half of searching, I cannot find free source to read .mdb files on iOS. The real problem to get it to work is mdb-tools dependency of glib. I am considering of porting this library to be usable in iOS environment (eliminate dependency of glib and other libraries iOS does not support). I want to first start with libmdb as other items depend on it. When successful, speak to the community where it should go from there (perhaps make support for newer Access files)?

However, I feel libmdb can be done, but have not looked deep in the code to see if it will be a beast of a effort. Can anybody provide me with valuable documentation on both mdb-tools architecture (each class and its purpose since there is very limited code comments) and the MDB file specification? I know MDB file specification is not OCG, but any notes jotted down will be useful for me.

If you feel I should not waste my time please let me know why? I really need this functionality and I thought this C class is the best basis project to start with to port over (seeing how iOS supports Objective-C++).

Bob

Alexander Lehner

2012-08-10 16:55:31 UTC

Permalink

Post by Robert Zermeno
Ladies/Gents,
I just became a memeber and I hope the community can now receive my message. If you have received it twice, I am sorry.

I am trying to read MSAccess mdb files on my iOS on the fly and saw this product. I know it is not written for iOS, but has anyone tried to make it work?
For the day and a half of searching, I cannot find free source to read .mdb files on iOS. The real problem to get it to work is mdb-tools dependency of glib. I am considering of porting this library to be usable in iOS environment (eliminate dependency of glib and other libraries iOS does not support). I want to first start with libmdb as other items depend on it. When successful, speak to the community where it should go from there (perhaps make support for newer Access files)?

However, I feel libmdb can be done, but have not looked deep in the code to see if it will be a beast of a effort. Can anybody provide me with valuable documentation on both mdb-tools architecture (each class and its purpose since there is very limited code comments) and the MDB file specification? I know MDB file specification is not OCG, but any notes jotted down will be useful for me.

If you feel I should not waste my time please let me know why? I really need this functionality and I thought this C class is the best basis project to start with to port over (seeing how iOS supports Objective-C++).

Robert Zermeno

2012-08-10 17:17:09 UTC

Permalink

Alex,

Thanks for the quick feedback. STL is supported by iOS and if you used all the STL classes as they were intended I believe you have made my day. If you do not mind, can you provide me with your source code for me to try it out? I am sure it will work, but if not it will be a great start to finish the port. Once finished, perhaps the community can make a branch for iOS support as I would like to continue to see this project support newer Access files.

If you can zip the project and send it to me that will be awesome.

Thanks,

Robert

From: Alexander Lehner <***@edv-buero-lehner.de>
To: Robert Zermeno <***@yahoo.com>
Cc: "mdbtools-***@lists.sourceforge.net" <mdbtools-***@lists.sourceforge.net>
Sent: Friday, August 10, 2012 9:55 AM
Subject: Re: [mdb-dev] Port libmdb (mdb-tools) for iOS

Tudor Holton

2012-08-11 06:45:29 UTC

Permalink

On a related note, is there any chance of shifting to a git repos?
These kinds of project branching (as in code-share project branching)
work much better on git, in my experience.

Cheers,
Tudor.

Alex,
Thanks for the quick feedback. STL is supported by iOS and if you
used all the STL classes as they were intended I believe you have made
my day. If you do not mind, can you provide me with your source code
for me to try it out? I am sure it will work, but if not it will be a
great start to finish the port. Once finished, perhaps the community
can make a branch for iOS support as I would like to continue to see
this project support newer Access files.
If you can zip the project and send it to me that will be awesome.
Thanks,
Robert
*Sent:* Friday, August 10, 2012 9:55 AM
*Subject:* Re: [mdb-dev] Port libmdb (mdb-tools) for iOS

Post by Robert Zermeno
Ladies/Gents,
I just became a memeber and I hope the community can now receive my

message. If you have received it twice, I am sorry.

Post by Robert Zermeno
I am trying to read MSAccess mdb files on my iOS on the fly and saw

this product. I know it is not written for iOS, but has anyone tried
to make it work?

Post by Robert Zermeno
For the day and a half of searching, I cannot find free source to

read .mdb files on iOS. The real problem to get it to work is
mdb-tools dependency of glib. I am considering of porting this
library to be usable in iOS environment (eliminate dependency of glib
and other libraries iOS does not support). I want to first start with
libmdb as other items depend on it. When successful, speak to the
community where it should go from there (perhaps make support for
newer Access files)?

Post by Robert Zermeno
However, I feel libmdb can be done, but have not looked deep in the

code to see if it will be a beast of a effort. Can anybody provide me
with valuable documentation on both mdb-tools architecture (each class
and its purpose since there is very limited code comments) and the MDB
file specification? I know MDB file specification is not OCG, but any
notes jotted down will be useful for me.

Post by Robert Zermeno
If you feel I should not waste my time please let me know why? I

really need this functionality and I thought this C class is the best
basis project to start with to port over (seeing how iOS supports
Objective-C++).
Hi Robert,
there was a discussion concerning the dependency on glibc earlier on this
list, but I don't remember how it ended. Maybe it's worth searching the
archive.
I had this problem as well and solved it, by replacing the functions of
glibc that are beeing used in libmdb by my own implementation.
These are mainly some containers (hashes etc) and I re-implemented them by
using STL.
So my workaround is no longer plain ANSI-C but C++.
If that's ok for you, I can give you my code.
Alex.
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Jakob Egger

2012-08-11 08:57:24 UTC

Permalink

Actually, the MDB Tools are already on Github: https://github.com/brianb/mdbtools
The version on sourceforge is very outdated.

Concerning an iOS port: the problem is that mdb-tools are licensed under the LGPL, which is as far as I understand it is not compatible with iOS. So even if you could get it to work technically, you might not be legally allowed to use libmdb on the iPhone. Some people don't care about the problem and just use LGPL code on the iPhone, but I'd carefully consider the licensing issues before starting a port. On the other hand, I think even some of Apple's apps use LGPL code (I think Webkit is LGPL), but that doesn't help if someone complains and Apple pulls your app.

In fact, the LGPL license is one of the reasons why I stopped using mdbtools in my app (MDB Viewer for Mac) and wrote my own library for reading Access files.

Concerning documentation: Read the HACKING file for a good overview of the MDB file format.

Best regards,
Jakob

On a related note, is there any chance of shifting to a git repos? These kinds of project branching (as in code-share project branching) work much better on git, in my experience.
Cheers,
Tudor.

Alex,
Thanks for the quick feedback. STL is supported by iOS and if you used all the STL classes as they were intended I believe you have made my day. If you do not mind, can you provide me with your source code for me to try it out? I am sure it will work, but if not it will be a great start to finish the port. Once finished, perhaps the community can make a branch for iOS support as I would like to continue to see this project support newer Access files.
If you can zip the project and send it to me that will be awesome.
Thanks,
Robert
Sent: Friday, August 10, 2012 9:55 AM
Subject: Re: [mdb-dev] Port libmdb (mdb-tools) for iOS

Post by Robert Zermeno
Ladies/Gents,
I just became a memeber and I hope the community can now receive my message. If you have received it twice, I am sorry.
I am trying to read MSAccess mdb files on my iOS on the fly and saw this product. I know it is not written for iOS, but has anyone tried to make it work?
For the day and a half of searching, I cannot find free source to read .mdb files on iOS. The real problem to get it to work is mdb-tools dependency of glib. I am considering of porting this library to be usable in iOS environment (eliminate dependency of glib and other libraries iOS does not support). I want to first start with libmdb as other items depend on it. When successful, speak to the community where it should go from there (perhaps make support for newer Access files)?
However, I feel libmdb can be done, but have not looked deep in the code to see if it will be a beast of a effort. Can anybody provide me with valuable documentation on both mdb-tools architecture (each class and its purpose since there is very limited code comments) and the MDB file specification? I know MDB file specification is not OCG, but any notes jotted down will be useful for me.
If you feel I should not waste my time please let me know why? I really need this functionality and I thought this C class is the best basis project to start with to port over (seeing how iOS supports Objective-C++).

Hi Robert,
there was a discussion concerning the dependency on glibc earlier on this
list, but I don't remember how it ended. Maybe it's worth searching the
archive.
I had this problem as well and solved it, by replacing the functions of
glibc that are beeing used in libmdb by my own implementation.
These are mainly some containers (hashes etc) and I re-implemented them by
using STL.
So my workaround is no longer plain ANSI-C but C++.
If that's ok for you, I can give you my code.
Alex.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Live Security Virtual Conference
Exclusive live event will cover all the ways today's security and
threat landscape has changed and how IT managers can respond. Discussions
will include endpoint security, mobile security and the latest in malware
threats. http://www.accelacomm.com/jaw/sfrnl04242012/114/50122263/
_______________________________________________
mdbtools-dev mailing list
https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/mdbtools-dev

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Live Security Virtual Conference
Exclusive live event will cover all the ways today's security and
threat landscape has changed and how IT managers can respond. Discussions
will include endpoint security, mobile security and the latest in malware
threats. http://www.accelacomm.com/jaw/sfrnl04242012/114/50122263/_______________________________________________
mdbtools-dev mailing list
https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/mdbtools-dev