Firebird Gstat Database Statistics Reporting Tool | Gstat Caveats

The `-⁠t[able]` Switch Can Cause Problems

The [gstat-cmdline-table] switch expects a list of table names to be supplied.

In older versions, if you supply the database name after a table name, it is assumed to be a table name, and you are prompted for a database name.

tux> gstat -t EMPLOYEE JOB employee
please retry, giving a database name

In Firebird 2.5 and higher, using -⁠t before the database name accepts only one table name, and a second table name is interpreted as the database name, resulting in an error when the actual database name is encountered.

> gstat -u sysdba -t EMPLOYEE JOB employee
database name was already specified

For this reason, call gstat with the database name as the very first parameter, or at least put the -⁠t[able] option after the database name:

tux> gstat employee -t EMPLOYEE JOB

Database "/opt/firebird/examples/empbuild/employee.fdb"
Database header page information:
...

Database file sequence:
File /opt/firebird/examples/empbuild/employee.fdb is the only file

Analyzing database pages ...
...

In Firebird 2.1 and earlier, you can supply an additional switch after the last table name and before the database name.This trick no longer works in Firebird 2.5 and higher, as it will only accept one table name when before the database name.

tux> gstat -t EMPLOYEE JOB -z employee
gstat version LI-V2.1.3.18185 Firebird 2.1

Database "/opt/firebird/examples/empbuild/employee.fdb"
Database header page information:
...

Database file sequence:
File /opt/firebird/examples/empbuild/employee.fdb is the only file
        Firebird/linux Intel (access method), version
"LI-V2.1.3.18185 Firebird 2.1"
        Firebird/linux Intel (remote server), version
"LI-V2.1.3.18185 Firebird 2.1/tcp (greenbird)/P11"
        Firebird/linux Intel (remote interface), version
"LI-V2.1.3.18185 Firebird 2.1/tcp (greenbird)/P11"
        on disk structure version 11.1

Analyzing database pages ...

The Shadow Count Seems Wrong

It appears that adding and/or dropping shadow files from a database is not always reported by gstat when it produces a database report.

tux> # Use gstat to display shadow details
tux> gstat employee -h|grep -i sh[a]dow
        Shadow count            0

tux> isql employee
Database: employee

SQL> SHOW DATABASE;
Database: employee
        Owner: SYSDBA
 Shadow 1: "/u00/firebird/databases/employee.shd1" auto
...

Straight away, it is obvious that the report from gstat is incorrect as the employee database has one shadow file.If we use isql to add a new shadow file to this database, as shown below, gstat still insists that there are no shadows.

SQL> CREATE SHADOW 7 AUTO '/u00/firebird/databases/employee.shd7';

SQL> SHOW DATABASE;
Database: employee
        Owner: SYSDBA
 Shadow 1: "/u00/firebird/databases/employee.shd1" auto
 Shadow 7: "/u00/firebird/databases/employee.shd7" auto
...

SQL> shell;

tux> gstat employee -h | grep -i sh[a]dow
        Shadow count            0

Document history

The exact file history is recorded in the firebird-documentation git repository; see https://github.com/FirebirdSQL/firebird-documentation

Revision History

Revision History
1.9	24 Feb 2024	MR	Fixed broken cross-references caused by using prefix `gbak` instead of `gstat`
1.8	24 Feb 2024	MR	Misc. copy editing Add links from usage instruction to relevant sections Include `gstat` name in the document title, making it the same as on https://firebirdsql.org/en/reference-manuals/
1.7	23 Feb 2024	MR	Reordered document history so most recent changes are on the top Convert commandline options from definition list to sections Add switches: `-⁠?`, `-⁠encryption`, `-⁠nocreation`, `-⁠role`, and `-⁠trusted` Misc. copy editing, and updating information for newer version Add some links to gfix and gbak documentation Cross-links between sections Added word-joiner in commandline switches between minus (`-`) and first character to ensure they aren’t broken up on word wrap
1.6	19 Jun 2020	MR	Conversion to AsciiDoc, minor copy-editing
1.5	11 Oct 2011	ND	Updated for Firebird 2.5. Spelling errors corrected.
1.4	23 Mar 2011	ND	Added ODS 9.1 for Interbase 5.0 to the list of known ODS values. Added reference to Managing Limbo Transactions in the gfix manual. Corrected explanation of when an automatic database sweep is carried out, based on OIT and OST as opposed to OIT and OAT.As advised by Vlad Khorsun.
1.3	17 Feb 2010	ND	Formatting errors in the command line switches corrected.
1.2	14 Dec 2009	ND	A couple more minor corrections and spelling mistakes corrected.
1.1	30 Nov 2009	ND	Many corrections suggested by Paul Vinkenoog plus a general tidy up and a few more examples added.
1.0	29 Oct 2009	ND	Created a new gstat manual.

1.9

24 Feb 2024

MR

Fixed broken cross-references caused by using prefix gbak instead of gstat

1.8

24 Feb 2024

MR

Misc. copy editing
Add links from usage instruction to relevant sections
Include gstat name in the document title, making it the same as on https://firebirdsql.org/en/reference-manuals/

1.7

23 Feb 2024

MR

Reordered document history so most recent changes are on the top
Convert commandline options from definition list to sections
Add switches: -⁠?, -⁠encryption, -⁠nocreation, -⁠role, and -⁠trusted
Misc. copy editing, and updating information for newer version
Add some links to gfix and gbak documentation
Cross-links between sections
Added word-joiner in commandline switches between minus (-) and first character to ensure they aren’t broken up on word wrap

1.6

19 Jun 2020

MR

Conversion to AsciiDoc, minor copy-editing

1.5

11 Oct 2011

ND

Updated for Firebird 2.5.
Spelling errors corrected.

1.4

23 Mar 2011

ND

Added ODS 9.1 for Interbase 5.0 to the list of known ODS values.
Added reference to Managing Limbo Transactions in the gfix manual.
Corrected explanation of when an automatic database sweep is carried out, based on OIT and OST as opposed to OIT and OAT.As advised by Vlad Khorsun.

1.3

17 Feb 2010

ND

Formatting errors in the command line switches corrected.

1.2

14 Dec 2009

ND

A couple more minor corrections and spelling mistakes corrected.

1.1

30 Nov 2009

ND

Many corrections suggested by Paul Vinkenoog plus a general tidy up and a few more examples added.

1.0

29 Oct 2009

ND

Created a new gstat manual.

License notice

The contents of this Documentation are subject to the Public Documentation License Version 1.0 (the “License”); you may only use this Documentation if you comply with the terms of this License.Copies of the License are available at https://www.firebirdsql.org/pdfmanual/pdl.pdf (PDF) and https://www.firebirdsql.org/manual/pdl.html (HTML).

The Original Documentation is titled Firebird Database Statistics Reporting Tool.

The Initial Writer of the Original Documentation is: Norman Dunbar.

Contributor(s): Mark Rotteveel.

The -T[Able] Switch Can Cause Problems

The `-⁠t[able]` Switch Can Cause Problems

The Shadow Count Seems Wrong

docnext count = 2

Document history

License notice

The -T[Able] Switch Can Cause Problems

The -⁠t[able] Switch Can Cause Problems

The Shadow Count Seems Wrong

docnext count = 2

Document history

License notice

The `-⁠t[able]` Switch Can Cause Problems