MVISAM Advice solicitation

[Ben Duncan]

Ok, After having earned a living for the past 2 or 3 months
and with a little money socked away / due in (yeah, I know
don't count your BENJAMINS before they hatch), I am thinking
about getting back on my SLAG/MVISAM project ,due to the recent
thread's here about FOSS Accounting systems.

Ok, here is the state of it:

I can make it look 3D and Graphical. I can use 256 Color xterm
(Yeah, I have been experimenting with it - nice !!) and the
GTK+ for S-lang. The intrensic's are designed to have those
"common" controls - radio buttons, select lists, standard
buttons, and the like, most of them are implemented and most
work - Both in Text mode and eventually GUI (using GTK+).
The premise is simply - simply call the function you want and
the underlying mechanics handle it all, whether a true GUI or
text mode.

Ok, now back to the Database end. The MVISAM is designed to be
a simple, multi user, multi key, multi value record manager that
supports ROW locking. I was at the place where all the functions to
handle key manipulation is done. The very same functions can be used
to handle Multi values - so that is essential done as well.
Where the fork in the road came to, was to decide to have both
key nodes and data node reside in the same file OR have 2
different files with one being key node and the other being data nodes.
Now, I have just complete an Acucobol conversion and notices that
AcuCobol's VISION ISAM file manager has gone for a single file, to
a dual set up (key / data files). I have also noticed some of the
other ISAM file managers (commercial ones) have done the same.
Also, MySQL base uses the 2 file method, while the INNODB add on,
puts it all in one file.

Question is, and the advice needed is, do I use 2 files like the rest
of the world, or just keep it in one file?
Pro's? Con's?

REALLY Need input form those whom prolly more experienced at these
kind of things.


-- 
Ben Duncan   - Business Network Solutions, Inc. 336 Elton Road  Jackson MS, 39212
"Never attribute to malice, that which can be adequately explained by stupidity"
        - Hanlon's Razor