Welcome to the IBExpert learning center, where we provide a range of tutorial films about Firebird and IBExpert.
You can also find all these films at YouTube.com.
If you cannot find a solution to a particular problem in these tutorials, please consult our online documentation.
If you have any comments or questions regarding any of these tutorials please mail register@ibexpert.biz.

How to start with FbNetExternalEngine (.NET), by Jiri Cincura

YouTube tutorial: Jiri provides an easy to follow guide to install the FbNetExternalEngine into Firebird and create a simple function.

IBExpert and Firebird Online Get-Togethers

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 we have started to offer regular IBExpert and Firebird online get-togethers with Holger Klemt. This playlist is a collection of these unedited sessions.

You can view the entire playlist here: IBExpert Firebird Online Get-Togethers.
You can find our German-language "Online Stammtisch" sessions here: IBExpert und Firebird Online Stammtisch.

Online Get-Together	Topics
April 6, 2020	In the first of our informal online get-togethers we chat about IBExpert Firebird Performance benchmark and optimization. - 00:01:08: IBExpert Benchmark - 00:20:39: Reads from and writes to cache - 00:26:08: Cache buffers - 00:29:15: SQL Performance Analysis - 00:33:34: Optimizing hardware - 00:42:49: Benchmark with different Firebird versions and flavors - 00:48:39: IBExpert Services / Database Monitoring - Transactions - 00:52:23: Typical errors / Virtual environments / Backup & restore - 00:55:34: Replication examples - 01:09:40: IBExpert Developer Studio benchmark on Linux & using parameters - 01:17:18: Benchmark modes: EXT, XXL, ASYNC - 01:21:29: Introduction to replication
April 20, 2020	In this session Holger Klemt takes a look at a basic Firebird Installation for Windows using EXE or ZIP, how to prepare a minimum install, basic firebird.conf parameters, packages, functions. - 00:00:15: Installing Firebird 3 - 00:04:11: Firebird 3 executable installation - 00:15:51: FB3 manual installation from a ZIP file - 00:22:50: Firewall / IBExpert ufw - 00:26:20: Firebird 3 essential files & which files can be deleted - 00:53:22: Firebird instances (multiple Firebird installations) - 00:59:40: firebird.conf - 01:34:31: Some new features in Firebird 3
April 27, 2020	This session looks at perfomance tools in Firebird and IBExpert, monitoring, trace API, understanding indices, index plan. - 00:00:14: Preparing a sample database for testing - 00:02:42: Page cache - 00:06:16: Script Executive/SQL Editor Performance information - 00:09:04: Database Properties influence on performance - 00:14:19: IBExpert Performance Analysis - 00:19:11: Indexed reads and non-indexed reads - 00:23:46: Index Selectivity - 00:35:47: RDB$DB_KEY - 00:42:50: Database Statistics - 00:47:20: Deactivating indices - 00:52:30: Expression indices - 00:55:47: Recomputing index selectivity - 00:58:16: Database Monitoring - 01:08:43: Trace and audit - 01:16:06: Procedure optimization / Debug procedure - 01:22:00: Recompile procedures and triggers - 01:30:39: Database Monitoring - 01:37:09: Disadvantages of too many Indices - 01:41:49: Q & A
May 4, 2020	Data import, data export, automating scripts with IBEBlock. - 00:02:08: Simple data export - 00:06:01: Data import / IBEBlock - 00:13:44: ODBC - 00:20:46: Automated import/export - 00:23:25: Export the full database - 00:32:03: More import/export operations - 01:05:00: Comparing database versions - 01:15:44: ODBC - 01:22:37: Fast import/export using external files - 01:35:28: IBExpert Report Manager - 01:43:55: IBExpert Data Analysis
May 11, 2020	How to develop simple Firebird-base web apps that function on and offline. - 00:00:00: Introduction - 00:04:26: Files needed - 00:07:49: Demo App - 00:10:56: The physical implementation: Apache, PHP, Firebird - 00:24:35: What happens technically - 00:29:57: IBExpert log table - 00:40:35: IBExpert Trace API & Database Monitoring - 00:45:52: Simple formatting using stored procedures - 01:00:36: Front end using Lazarus special edition - 01:09:05: TMS components, Pascal and Java Script - 01:19:49: TMSWebCore - 01:27:56: Time Tracking Demo App - 01:41:41: Hardware: dedicated IBExpert IFS Servers - 01:50:13: Replication solutions If you want to download the files mentioned in the video, please write to sales@ibexpert.biz.
May 18, 2020	Setting up and managing a multi-database Blob Archive system, various inter-database operations. - 00:00:00: Introduction - 00:03:16: Create and register a new database - 00:06:09: Create a blob table and fill with data - 00:18:51: The hash function - 00:27:06: Storing large blob data in a separate database - 00:39:18: Dearchive the archived blob data - 00:45:23: Viewing and accessing blob data - 00:52:44: Accessing blob data in multiple read-only archive databases - 00:57:07: More operations - 01:01:25: Internal functions - 01:07:34: Archiving to and retrieving from external servers - 01:18:16: RAND function - 01:19:49: Execute statement on external and with autonomous transaction - 01:23:25: Different ways to transfer data between databases
June 8, 2020	Internal structure of a database, data types, data model and physical effects of blobs/CHAR/VARCHAR on the network - 00:00:00: Introduction - 00:01:25: Preparing simple sample data - 00:04:00: What happens over the network – IBExpert TCPipe - 00:18:36: Effects of char and varchar over the network - 00:41:12: Making blobs more efficient across the network using the list operator - 00:46:43: Execute and fetch all - 00:49:34: Multi-generational architecture / Transactions - 00:57:43: IBExpert Database Statistics - 01:20:45: Deleted record versions, database sweep, garbage collection - 01:27:16: 253 changes of table left, IBExpert Database Inside, RDB$RELATIONS - 01:37:37: RDB$FORMAT - 01:45:35: Disadvantage of large varchars
June 15, 2020	Advanced IBExpert IDE and scripting with IBExpert's own scripting language IBEBlock and automating and integrating IBExpert functions into your own application - 00:00:00: IBExpert scripting language IBEBlock - 00:08:30: Automating script execution - 00:09:58: IBEScript parameters and encryption - 00:14:51: Integrating scripts in your application with IBEScript.dll - 00:21:03: Fast data exchange - 00:32:09: Deactivate and reactivate all triggers - 00:42:22: An overview of all IBEBlock functions - 01:24:14: Converting a database character set from NONE to UTF8 using IBExpert’s Extract Metadata - 01:41:49: Why is the correct character set important? - 01:50:32: Extracting only data or only triggers with IBExpert’s Extract Metadata
June 29, 2020	This session covers basic knowledge of views, stored procedures, triggers, functions, packages; updatable and materialized views; exception handling. - 00:00:56: Materialized views - 00:10:34: Procedures, exception handling, avoiding deadlocks - 00:24:31: Database Monitoring, Trace API - 00:38:46: Prepare query, dependencies - 00:44:59: Replacing foreign keys with triggers - 00:46:30: Using triggers and procedures in updateable views - 00:57:18: Creating an updatable view in IBExpert - 01:01:13: Firebird 3 internal functions for row-based and column-based limitation of data records fetched - 01:15:43: Managing user permissions to limit data view and access - 01:27:24: Updateable views

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Firebird 3.0

Here we present some of the new Firebird 3.0 features.

Tutorial	Subject
01	Firebird 3.0 stored functions	click to view
02	Firebird 3.0 packages	click to view

The Firebird 3.0 series is an ongoing project. More topics to follow soon.

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IBExpert Quick Tips

Not just for beginners or those new to IBExpert, these short tutorials offer many tips and tricks to speed up and simplify your work with Firebird/InterBase^® and IBExpert.

Tutorial	Subject
02	IBExpert user interface: MDI or SDI	click to view
03	Change the IBExpert interface language	click to view
04	Set up the IBExpert User Database	click to view
05	Using keyboard templates	click to view
06	Using general templates	click to view
07	Code formatting options	click to view
08	Lazy Mode	click to view

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Working with IBExpert

This series of tutorials covers the majority of the main basic subjects when starting your work with Firebird/InterBase^® and IBExpert.

Tutorial	Subject	Click to view film
1	Firebird installations for professionals	part 1	part 2	part 3
3	Register Database	part 1	part 2
4	IBExpert Database Objects	part 1	part 2
5	Firebird Database Files	click to view
6	IBExpert Database Comparer	click to view
7	IBExpert Table Data Comparer	click to view
8	IBExpert User and Grant Managers	click to view
9	SQL code editors	click to view
10	IBExpert Extract Metadata	part 1	part 2	part 3
11	Firebird for Professionals: IBExpert Benchmark	click to view
12	IBExpert Database Designer	click to view

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IBExpert in depth

Here you can learn how to utilize the full functionalities of IBExpert.

Tutorial	Subject	Click to view film
11	IBExpert Data Analysis	click to view
12	Firebird turbo backup using shadows and IBExpert	click to view
13	How to retrieve a corrupt Firebird/InterBase® database using IBExpert Database Inside	click to view

The IBExpert in depth series is an ongoing project. More topics to follow soon.

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Firebird Developer Training

Based on the Firebird School which was held at the International Firebird Conference 2007 in Hamburg, Germany by Holger Klemt and Jason Chapman.

Tutorial	Subject	Click to view film
01	Installing the sample database	part 1
02-04	SQL Basics	part 1	part 2	part 3
05-06	Creating your first Firebird database	part 1	part 2
07-08	Database design & modelling	part 1	part 2
09-10	Writing stored procedures and triggers	part 1	part 2
11-12	Debugging & Optimization	part 1	part 2

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Firebird DB Admin Training

Based on the Firebird School which was held at the International Firebird Conference 2007 in Hamburg, Germany by Holger Klemt and Jason Chapman.

Tutorial	Subject
01	Introduction to admin tasks	click to view
02	Installing the Firebird server	click to view
03	Firebird server versions and differences	click to view
04	Firebird database aliases	click to view
05	Firebird configuration file parameters	click to view
06	Multi-generational architecture & database statistics	click to view
07	Firebird database pages	click to view
08	Maintenance operations	click to view
09	Protocols, ODBC import & export	click to view
10	Automating the database backup & restore	click to view
11	Database corruption and database repair using gfix	click to view
12	Alternative database repair methods	click to view
13	Typical causes of server problems	click to view
14	Detect and avoid server problems	click to view
15	Log files and temp files	click to view
16	Firebird memory configuration	click to view
17	Hardware, operating systems and benchmark testing	click to view
18	Understanding Firebird indices & index statistics	click to view
19	Optimizing SQL commands	click to view
20	Optimizing the database & database performance	click to view

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FBCon 10 Session Videos

Here you will find all FBCon 10 conference recorded sessions. All films have been edited to condense long upload times and speed up live demonstrations, so that many are shorter than the original session length. No important information has been deleted!

Session	Subject	Speaker
A01	Opening session	Holger Klemt
A02	New features in SQL language *	Vlad Khorsun
A03	Database conversions: UTF8 and other character set targets	Holger Klemt
A04	Managing recursive, tree-like data structures with Firebird I	Frank Ingermann
A05	Managing recursive, tree-like data structures with Firebird II	Frank Ingermann
A06	Writing 32 + 64-bit UDFs for Firebird using Pascal language with Lazarus and Freepascal, native multi-platform development for Windows, Linux, Mac, 32 and 64 bit	Holger Klemt
A12	ODS related optimizations in Firebird 3***	Vlad Khorsun
A12a	IBExpert registration & integration	Holger Klemt
A13	Turbo Firebird: A Firebird performance comparison: 32/64 bit, virtual machines, multicore, ramdisk, harddisk, Linux, Windows, monitoring, etc.	Holger Klemt
A14	Open Source OLAP Environment with Firebird	Thomas Steinmaurer
A15	Using Open-Source BI Tools with Firebird	Roman Rokytskyy
A16	Firebird 2.5 architectures comparison	Thomas Steinmaurer
A22	Firebird 3. Initial review By Dmitry Yemanov	Vlad Khorsun
A22a	Trace API technology and tools	Thomas Steinmaurer
A23	Developing modern Rich Internet Applications with Java and Firebird	Roman Rokytskyy
A24	IBEBlock scripting Language	IBExpert
A25	Firebird, Apache and PHP-based web application: basic technology for mobile browser access, including iPad, iPhone and Android	Holger Klemt
B04	New features in .NET provider for Firebird**	Jiri Cincura
B05	How to replace InterBase with Firebird?	better office
B13	Transparent JDBC replication with Firebird *	Roman Rokytskyy
B15	Connecting to Firebird using .NET provider from various devices - iPad, iPhone, Android, Windows Phone, ... *** (audio improves after 09:23:00)	Jiri Cincura
B23	Part-time foreign keys using flexible triggers to replace declarative foreign keys. ***	Holger Klemt
B24	Server-side programming techniques ***	Thomas Steinmaurer
B25	Creating services for Rich Internet Applications***	Jiri Cincura

* This session was unfortunately not recorded; please refer to Vlad's PPT presentation.
** Unfortunately there were problems with the microphone during this session. We've left the sound in where it was comprehensible, and just run the screen show where not.
*** Unfortunately poor sound quality.

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Firebird & IBExpert Power Workshops

The following is an English translation (with subtitles) of a live recording of the IBExpert Power Workshop: Optimizing Database Performance held by Holger Klemt in 2013.

If you're interested in participating in our Power Workshop series, you can find the upcoming dates on our home page.

Tutorial	Subject	Description
01	Firebird turbo backup using shadows and IBExpert	Free English-language excerpt (with subtitles), taken from a live recording of a power workshop held by Holger Klemt in 2013.

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