Standard Flags and Parameters

The following parameters and flags are common to many commands. Each command description in this guide indicates whether these parameters or flags are valid for that command.

command dbname|vnode::dbname[/server_class] [-fproduct]
[+user[=authuser]] [-uusername] [-Ggroupid] [-Rroleid]
[other flags] [other parameters]

Identifies the name of a database. This parameter must precede all other non-flag parameters (with the exception of vnode::dbname).

Identifies the remote node on which the database is located. It must be followed by two colons (::) and the dbname parameter, with no intervening space.

The remote node can be specified as either of the following:

Is the virtual node name, as defined to Ingres Net, that points to the connection data and authorization data necessary to access a particular remote instance.

Is a “dynamic vnode” connection string that includes the connection data, user authorization, and attributes that are associated with a remote node. The format of @host+ is described in Dynamic Vnode Specification--Connect to Remote Node.

Specifies the name of one of the Ingres servers or Enterprise Access products (for example, DB2 UDB). If you are accessing a distributed database or a non-Ingres database through an Enterprise Access product, you must specify the server_class. For valid values for server_class, see the Connectivity Guide or your Enterprise Access product documentation.

Specifies the name of a product parameter. In selected commands, the catalog modules for one or more products may be specified. The user interface catalogs are grouped into modules. Each Ingres tool requires a set of modules to operate. If you omit the product, the command reads the installation’s authorization string and specifies all products that the authorization string permits.

The product parameter must be one of the following:

Processes catalogs for the Ingres tools (Applications-By-Forms, Query-By-Forms, Report-By-Forms, and Visual Forms Editor).

Directs the command not to process catalogs for any user interface products. You cannot use the nofeclients name in conjunction with the name of any valid user interface product; nofeclients is valid only in specified commands.

Specifies the user name (authuser) and password used for connection authentication, whether through OS authentication, DBMS authentication, or another mechanism. This syntax is useful when using DBMS authentication because it allows password entry or prompting with simplified syntax.

One of the following can be specified:

Connects as the specified user and password. Password is exposed on the command line.

Note: The @[username,password] must be specified as part of the full database name including vnode. No arguments can appear between it and the node name. For example:

Specifies the effective user name for the session. Valid only for a privileged user, DBA, or sessions that have the db_admin database privilege. (Some commands, including ckpdb, rollforwarddb, verifydb, createdb, and destroydb, restrict the use of the -u flag to privileged users.)

It is possible to include both +user and ‑uusername on the command line. The initial connection will be as the +user user (and password), and then assuming that that user is properly privileged, the ‑u user will be superimposed as the effective user for the session.

Note: The -u flag does not assume the group of the effective user. Use the -G flag to distinguish between the real and effective user.

Specifies the group identifier for the session. After the system administrator defines a group identifier, a DBA can grant database permissions to the group. When you issue a command, specifying group ID (using the -G flag), the group’s permissions are applied to the session.

To specify a group, you must be a member of the specified group identifier’s user list, a system administrator, the DBA of the specified database, or a user that has the db_admin privilege.

If you omit this flag and there is a default group identifier specified for you, the default group identifier is assigned to the session. (Default group identifiers are assigned using accessdb.)

VMS: You must enclose this parameter in double quotation marks ("‑Ggroupid").

Specifies the role identifier for an application image. After the system administrator defines a role identifier, a DBA can grant database permissions to the role ID. When you invoke an application and specify role ID (using the -R flag), the role permissions are applied to your session.

The roleid must be an existing role identifier. If the role identifier requires a password, you are prompted for the password. If you specify the -R flag, but omit both the role identifier and password, you are prompted for both. If no password is defined for the specified roleid, press the Enter key when prompted for the password.

Neither roleid nor password is validated if you are a system administrator, DBA for the specified database, or a user that has the db_admin privilege.

VMS: You must enclose this parameter in double quotation marks ("‑Rroleid").