Using MetaKit with Tcl on Cloverleaf

[Jon Blanchard]

Is anyone using, or has anyone tried to use, MetaKit as a side database in the Cloverleaf environment?  I am exploring ways to manage a small to medium size dataset without incurring large size development requirements.

Thanks!

Sr. Interface Developer
Ardent Health Services

Topic

[Levy Lazarre]

Jon,

I have experimented with the Metakit in Cloverleaf 5.4 as a means to save partial HL7 messages then retrieve them and put them together to generate a complete message. The Metakit is very fast, very robust, and easy to use. It may be a good choice for you if your database size is not expected to grow over a few hundred megabytes.

One thing you have to keep in mind is that when you delete a key in the Metakit, the associated data is marked as deleted but is not actually removed (similar to an Access database). So if your program does a lot of deletions, you may want to “compact” your database by copying the data file to a fresh, empty file (and make this new file your database).

Hope this helps.

Levy

[Jon Blanchard]

Cool…

Did you work with MetaKit in a Unix or Windows environment?  I am working with Windows and want to convert the code into VB .NET, as that is the only compiler I have access to.

Sr. Interface Developer
Ardent Health Services

[Charlie Bursell]

Try sqlite.  Small footprint, Tcl API, no license fees

[Levy Lazarre]

Jon,

I had the opportunity to install it both on Windows and Unix HP-UX. On Windows, I didn’t compile. I just downloaded the binary for Windows from the distribution site and installed the module as usual.

Levy

[Levy Lazarre]

Charlie,

I am on Cloverleaf 5.4 (which comes with Tcl 8.3). SQLite requires Tcl 8.4 or above, so I was out of luck. If you don’t need the full capability of SQL, the Metakit is the next best thing. It’s really fast and robust. Maybe it should be distributed with Cloverleaf; it’s certainly more robust and flexible than gdbm.

Levy

[Charlie Bursell]

I use sqlite with Tcl 8.3.  All you have to do is install the exectable and exec it from Tcl.  You can pass any SQL command you need on the command line.  Works like a champ.

sqlite is just an option.  If what you are using solves your problem then use it by all means  8)

[Levy Lazarre]

Charlie,

I see what you mean. I was trying to load the module from an inbound TPS and it would not load. I will try your suggestion.

Levy

[Author]

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