Could you show some code? We're not mindreaders.

This is the sub routine that alters the sybase database. the alter command can run for a extended period of time.

sub _grow_db() {

my ( $dbh, $dbname, $increase, $tran_size, $data_pool, $log_pool ) = @
+_;

my $log_increase = int ( $increase * $params->get("Device.Log.Percent"
+) / 100 );
my $max_tran_size = int ( $params->get("Max.Tran.Size") );

my $sql = "use master";

$$dbh->do($sql)
  or $app->log($FATAL, "Can't do SQL statement [ $sql ] :: $DBI::errst
+r");

$app->log($INFO,"Altering database $dbname.  Increasing data segment b
+y $increase MB");

my $sql="alter database $dbname on ";

foreach my $device ( @$data_pool ) {
    next if ( $$device{free} == 0 );
    if ( $increase >= $$device{free} ) {
        $sql .= "$$device{name}=$$device{free},";
        $increase -= $$device{free};
        $$device{free} = 0;
    } else {
        $sql .= "$$device{name}=$increase,";
        $$device{free} -= $increase;
        $increase = 0;
    }
    last if ( $increase == 0 );
}

if ( $tran_size < $max_tran_size ) {

$app->log($INFO,"Altering database $dbname. Increasing log segment by 
+$log_increase MB");
$sql =~ s/,$//;

$sql .= " log on ";

foreach my $device ( @$log_pool ) {
    next if ( $$device{free} == 0 );
    if ( $log_increase >= $$device{free} ) {
        $sql .= "$$device{name}=$$device{free},";
        $log_increase -= $$device{free};
        $$device{free} = 0;
    } else {
        $sql .= "$$device{name}=$log_increase,";
        $$device{free} -= $log_increase;
        $log_increase = 0;
    }
    last if ( $log_increase == 0 );
}
}

$sql =~ s/,$//;

#$$dbh->do($sql)
#    or $app->log($FATAL,"Can't do SQL statement [ $sql ] :: $DBI::err
+str");

my $sth = $$dbh->prepare($sql)
    or $app->log($FATAL,"Can't prepare SQL statement [ $sql ] :: $DBI:
+:errstr");

$sth->execute();

$sth->finish();
[download]

this is the output from a alter database command.
alter database D_IGT_IMP on data023device = 43 log on
log003device = 5
2> go
Extending database by 22016 pages on disk data023device
Extending database by 2560 pages on disk log003device
Warning: Using ALTER DATABASE to extend the log segment
will cause user thresholds on the log segment within 128
pages of the last
chance threshold to be disabled.
} This is the sub routinne that fails if run after the alter database.

sub get_table_info() {

my ( $dbh, $table ) = @_;

my @columns = ();

my $sql = "exec sp_getcol2 $table";

my $sth = $$dbh->prepare( $sql )
    or $app->log($FATAL,"Can't prepare SQL statement [ $sql ] :: $DBI:
+:errstr");

$sth->execute()
    or $app->log($FATAL,"Can't prepare SQL statement [ $sql ] :: $DBI:
+:errstr");

while ( my (@results) = $sth->fetchrow_array() ) {
    my $col_ref = {
            'name' => $results[0],
            'type' => $results[1],
            'length' => $results[2],
            'prec' => $results[3],
            'scale' => $results[4],
            'null' => $results[5],
            'identity' => $results[8]
    };
    push @columns, $col_ref;
}
$sth->finish();

return \@columns;

}
[download]

Michael

1. Get the list of processes. See if your alter database is still running.
2. When doing an alter database, Sybase is sending messages. If you are using isql, these message will be displayed. If you're using Sybperl, you can set up a message handler (a callback) which will be triggered on each message. Use that to track progress. I do not know whether DBD::Sybase gives you access to the messages. (These are the same messages as will appear in the Sybase log file).
3. Watch the Sybase log file.
4. Sybase uses a system table to keep track of which disk partitions it's using for the database (syssegments, IIRC). This is probably your best bet, if the table gets updated after the alter database finishes. But it's too long ago to recollect whether it does before, or after.