ODBC 3

[Gazmysta]

Hi all,

Could someone please give me a brief description of what an ODBC database is and a DSN?

Thank you!

 

[jrbarnett]

Hi,

ODBC is Open DataBase Connectivity, it is a Microsoft standard to allow any application to access data stored in a remote system. It runs on the client system.

An ODBC driver is supplied by the vendor of the database, or other source of data (eg Oracle, Sybase, Microsoft etc) and will allow any application that can connect to an ODBC source to read/write data on it. It is important to note however that it doesn't have to be a database, there are ODBC drivers available for spreadsheet programs, text files etc as well.

An ODBC Data Source brings together a specific ODBC driver and settings to connect to a specific data source. DSN stands for Data Source Name - it is the name of the data source.
When you connect to an ODBC data source you connect to its name - the ODBC interface uses the data source settings and the driver to connect to the data source and read/write the data.

John

 

[Gazmysta]

Thank you that was very informative, good post!!

Gazmysta

 

[LittleSmudge]

Thank you that was very informative, good post!!

Then, Gazmysta, if you consider it a 'good post' why not recognise the fact by marking it with a Star.

( See the purple star and the Blue text "Mark this post as a helpful/expert post!" with it just below the signiture in John's post )

G LS
spsinkNOJUNK@yahoo.co.uk
Remove the NOJUNK to use.

 

[jrbarnett]

I almost forgot:
More information on ODBC and other related technologies from

http://www.microsoft.com/data

Generally, you won't write code to communicate directly with the ODBC interface unless you are writing ODBC drivers so most of that information can be ignored.

John

 

[OhioSteve]

Jrbarnett's description is accurate.

To set up an ODBC data source in XP, do this-

1) Go to start/settings/control panel/administrative tools/data sources ODBC

2) Click on the "system DSN" tab

3) Click the "Add" button.

A wizard will kickoff. After experimenting with this wizard a few times, you should be able to set up a connection. Drivers for common stuff are bundled with XP. I think you could also add a driver if you wanted to connect to something really exotic.

I am describing the process of creating the ODBC entity. You still need to go into the application that is pulling the data and link it to that ODBC entity.

ODBC connections are incredibly handy. After you learn to use them, you will wonder how you did your job beforehand.

 

[uscitizen]

hopefully, i can 'piggyback' my query onto this thread...

by way of introductions, i've created an a2k database which sits on a network drive and is accessible by users w/in the organization who mis has given network access to (the 'I' drive) on their desktops.

others who are may be interested in exploiting the data in the database have been doing their data collection at times in excel spreadsheets and others use oracle.

for the time being, the a2k database is being considered as the front end for a paradigm which lets users access queries or creating reports based on the act(s) of joining selected variables/fields/controls from the access tables, excel spreadsheets and oracle tables.

i'm not running a2k on an xp based system, it's more like windows 2000 professional, in case that changes anything.

i know vaguely about 'odbc' but it's still a bit of a 'black box' affair to me.

has anyone reading this ever been in a groundbreaking mode w/ any useful tips/resources worth recommending?


thanks in advance.

 

[OhioSteve]

Okay, this should get you started.

1) Review this thread so you have a general understanding of ODBC.

2) For EACH alien application complete the process that I described in my old post. Now they have ODBC entities.

3) Start your DB. Choose file/get external data/link tables. You will get an interface similar to a standard "open" dialogue box. In the lower part of the box, change the "file type" to ODBC. The previous interface will vanish. You will get a list of ODBC entities. Setup links with the appropriate entities.

Notes-
a) I don't know what the real term is for these things. "Entitites" is not a standard term.
b) It is possible to link to an Excel spreadsheet without ODBC. However, you may as well do both Excel and Oracle since you are learning this technology.

 

[uscitizen]

OhioSteve,

Hi.

If by old post you meant 10/30/03's description of using XP operating system -- I and my users are constrained to Windows 2000 Professional.

 

[OhioSteve]

Its very similar in Windows 2000. After reading your message I looked at a system running Windows 2000 and the ODBC tools are present.

 

[jrbarnett]

In either 2000 or XP (and 95/98 for that matter), you can get straight to the ODBC control panel by going start -> run -> odbcad32.exe

John

 

[uscitizen]

hi guys:

yes with the help of our help desk, i was able to find the odbcad32.exe file. on running it and attempting to add the 'Microsoft ODBC for Oracle' driver we run into an Error Message telling us the 'Oracle(tm) client and networking components were not found' and that 'These components are supplied by Oracle corp and are part of the Oracle vsn 7.3 (or greater) client software installation'.

 

[OhioSteve]

My next step would be to determine whether you have version 7.3 or greater of Oracle.

 

[uscitizen]

I talked with a Supervisor at our organization's Help desk who has had to deal with drivers in connection with utilizing Oracle and another database. He seems to be up on the details of the technology and I'll be picking his brain before too long.

That doesn't dilute the value of the help you have provided though.

Thanks