RE: BLOB picture application -- MIDRANGE-L

I never have quite figured out why one needs a blob field when you can just
reference a file with a much smaller field.  I'd love to hear reasons.

Sal, nice site!

Brad

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Sal Stangarone Jr. [mailto:sals@MRC-PRODUCTIVITY.COM]
> Sent: Friday, May 04, 2001 1:27 PM
> To: MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com
> Subject: RE: BLOB picture application
> 
> 
> If you want, you can see an example of this on our web site.
> 
> http://crazybikes.com/employees/I00230GC.mrc?K001=A1040&@SMLNK=Y
> 
> In this case the picture is stored on the IFS and the 
> application is written
> in CGI.  We just have a file on the AS/400 that references the picture
> location with the product number.  This is really just one 
> way of attacking
> this and as you mentioned there are others.  One of the 
> advantages to this
> approach is the pictures can be stored on a separate machine 
> so you're not
> using expensive AS/400 dasd to store graphic images.  Feel 
> free to contact
> me if you'd like additional information.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Sal Stangarone Jr.
> michaels, ross & cole, ltd.
> 
> Phone: 630.916.0662
> Fax: 630.916.0663
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-midrange-l@midrange.com
> [mailto:owner-midrange-l@midrange.com]On Behalf Of afvaiv
> Sent: Friday, May 04, 2001 12:38 PM
> To: MIDRANGE-L
> Subject: BLOB picture application
> 
> 
> Hi folks, I am starting to analyze/design an Application for AS/400
> dealing with images (pictures). Let's say, something like 
> being able to
> hold the employees picture (like an ID card) along with normal data
> (name, address, etc). The goal would be to be able to
> - show that picture along with the data in some sort of query,
> - print out the ID card with the picture
> I think I have more questions in my mind than real knowledge. 
> So, before
> I write down some questions, let me outline what "I think" I know.
> 
> - UDB400 allows me to include BLOB data in a DB record, either in the
> form of the BLOB data itself, or as a "link" to some place where the
> picture would be stored.
> - RPG cannot access either one. This type of data can only be accessed
> thru SQL
> - I will not be able to display/print pictures from any "normal" (RPG,
> COBOL,..) program
> 
> I was thinking of saving each person's picture somewhere 
> within the IFS,
> or even in a NT Server, but I think that's not the point here. Let's
> asume each picture is in .bmp format, and is identified by 
> the person's
> ID number, e.g.:  12345678.bmp.
> 
> Asuming all the above are true, some questions follow:
> 
> - Do I have to use some type of client/server application, e.g.
> VisualBasic or Java to be able to use it as intended? If not, 
> how could
> I show/print the pictures along with other data?
> - If client/server model is indeed needed, what's the benefit 
> of keeping
> the "link" to the picture as part of the record? I mean, if the client
> program requests the persons' data, the ID number could just 
> as well be
> used to load the picture from where it is stored (NT Server or
> whereever). So, why would I need a field of "link" type?
> - What's the benefit of SQL being able to access BLOB type data if,
> after all, we cannot deal with it, in the AS/400 environment, in any
> way? I can only think of returning it as part of the results being
> received from a stored procedure, but then the previous 
> question applies
> as well and would make it useless.
> 
> Well, I think I just  have a full mess in mi mind. Don't know where to
> start with... Any ideas or experiences?
> -----------------
> Antonio Fernandez-Vicenti
> afvaiv@wanadoo.es
> 
> 
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