Re: Read BLOB data

jhoug2_at_hotmail.com (Jon) wrote :

> Yap, I'm using SQL*Plus as a client app. It's becoming quite clear
> that this is NOT what to use for this purpose. Judging by your
> comments, programs like Delphi/VB, DBISAM, etc. are the way to go for
> displaying BLOB data, right?

Yes, that is my recommendation. SQL*Plus is a great tool, but not one I would like to have end users to have their hands on.

That aside. There are basically two ways to handle blob's. Server side or client side.

Server side means that the client app uses PL/SQL to retrieve the blob data. As usual you have pros and cons. What I like about this is that it is not app dependant and easily changable on the server without having to change the client.

OTOH, doing it in the client app using something like Delphi is extremely easy. To display a blob (as a memo box, RTF box, JPEG or BMP image) will take less than 5 minutes of development in Delphi. But then if the end-user app is in fact a web browser (hopefully only to view the blob and not enter blob data), then doing it server-side is the way to go.

Thus you need to look at your users' requirements and only then decide on how to skin the cat technically.

--
Billy