ODBC Driver Manager exists in various forms under UNIX, but the definitive Driver Manager for UNIX is known as the "iODBC Driver Manager". Additional information regarding iODBC can be obtained from: www.iodbc.org.
The OpenLink ODBC Client Components for UNIX comprise the following :
iODBC Driver Manager - A shared library that links ODBC applications to ODBC Drivers
Generic ODBC Driver - A shared library (the file "oplodbc.so" or "oplodbc.sl") that provides database connectivity and data access services to ODBC-based clients (these can be applications written and compiled using the iODBC SDK)
Sample ODBC Application - A simple program that can be used to verify your ODBC installation and working environment.
The OpenLink ODBC Client Components for UNIX are contained within a compressed TAR archive file in the format "XXoczzzz.taz", where the "XX" represents a two-letter platform-specific code.
In addition, the optional ODBC Data Source Administrator and JDBC Samples are contained in an archive of format "XXl5adzz.taz" (availability varies by platform).
Note: The ODBC Data Source Administrator offered for configuring the Client Component is a stripped down version of the OpenLink Admin Assistant used for configuring the server components.
These files are automatically presented to you via the OpenLink Software Download wizard when you enter UNIX as your client operating system.
The steps that follow describe the installation process:
Move the "install.sh" and all downloaded *.taz" files to an installation directory of your choice
Type in one of the following commands to extract the contents of the compressed TAR archive files:
sh install.sh
or
install.sh
or
./install.sh
Setup your operating environment by executing the command:
. openlink.sh
you can also place the following entry in your ".profile" file:
. openlink.sh
Proceed to the configuration stage of this process.
The main configuration activity involves setting up logical references to the actual backend database engines that you wish to access via your UNIX based ODBC Driver. These local references are called Universal Data Source Names (UDSNs) and they are responsible for linking ODBC clients with actual OpenLink Data Access Drivers.
The OpenLink Admin Assistant is a Server Based HTML utility that enables you to manage UDSNs via your Web Browser. This utility provides wizards and a forms based user interface for performing it's tasks.
During the installation for Unix, the install.sh script will generate a file called bin/iodbc-admin-httpd.sh. This is a shell script used to start and stop the HTTP based iODBC Administrator. The usage is as follows:
$ sh iodbc-admin-httpd.sh start # Starts the HTTP based iODBC Administrator $ sh iodbc-admin-httpd.sh stop # Tries to stop the HTTP based iODBC Administrator $ sh iodbc-admin-httpd.sh status # Shows if the program is running
In the sections that follow, a step by guide and illustrative screen shots are used to demonstrate both approaches to setting up ODBC DSNs.
In the examples below lets presume that we are trying to create a UNIX based ODBC DSN on our machine called "opllinux" that will connect us to a Microsoft SQL Database on a Windows 95/98/NT Server. The critical database connection and network information for this setup (aka connection attributes) are as follows:
Network Alias of a Windows 95/98/NT/2000 Server machine (typically your application server) running OpenLink Server Components: "ntappserver"
Network Alias of a Windows 95/98/NT/2000 Server machine running Microsoft SQL Server: "pluto"
Microsoft SQL Server Database Name: "pubs"
Start up the web-based Admin Assistant available for use, if not already started:
bash$ sh iodbc-admin-httpd.sh start
Open up your Internet Browser and then enter the following URL: http://localhost:8000/ (note the OpenLink Web Assistant listens at port 8000 by default, this value is set at installation time).
Expand the menu by clicking on the "Client Components Administration", then "Data Source Name Configuration", and "Edit Data Sources by Wizard".
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Click on the "Edit ODBC Data Sources" hyperlink, this takes you into the actual ODBC Data Source configuration wizard.
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Click the "Add" button to commence the process of creating a new ODBC DSN, the wizard presents you with a list of ODBC Drivers installed on your system, select the driver identified as "OpenLink Generic ODBC Driver" and then click on the "Create DSN" button.
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Enter values into the "Name", "Description" and "Server" fields as follows:
Enter values that uniquely identify the DSN being created, our example uses the name "SQL Server on NT" to indicate that this DSN will be connecting you to a SQL Server database on an NT server.
Enter values that provide additional information that helps in describing the purpose of the DSN that you are creating.
Enter the hostname or IP address that identifies a Server Machine running OpenLink Server Components, that speak the OpenLink Data Access Protocol. Follow this with a semicolon and a TCPIP Port number of the Broker to contact if the default of 5000 is not used. This field corresponds to the Listen parameter on the target Broker.
Once completed click on the "Next" button.
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Now select the database and configuration details:
This is how you pick the Database Engine Type that your ODBC DSN is to be associated with e.g. Informix 7, Oracle 7, Progress 7 etc.
The default offered from the Zero Configuration is typically accepted. An alternative compatable Domain may be chosen for a specific customisation.
This is how an actual database name within the Provider Type Domain is identified, for instance "stores7" indicates an "Informix 7" database called "stores7". This option corresponds to the Database parameter in the preference files.
In this case our example uses the database "pubs"
This is where you place any database specific database connection options. This field in a majority of cases should be left blank by default. In this case enter valid SQL Server database server connection values (where "-s pluto" represent an actual SQL Server instance currently available on your network).
When this tick box is checked, a test connection is made to verify the Data Source connection.
If there is no check then the Login ID and Password fields are ignored, and no test is performed.
The default database UserID to use when logging on to a remote database engine (identified by the Domain above).
The Password for the login of the above UserID.
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Click on the "Next" button.
Now define additonal connection parameters:
Specify whether the connection is to be "Read-only". Make sure the checkbox is unchecked to request a "Read/Write" connection.
Check this box to defer the fetching of long data.
Suppress the ODBC "Username" and "Password" login dialog box when interacting with your ODBC DSN from within an ODBC compliant application.
This attribute specifies the number of records to be transported over the network in a single network hop. Values can range from 1 to 99.
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The list of parameters for the DSN are now shown. The Test Data Source button will trigger a test of the DSN using the existing login parameters.
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You have now completed entering all the values that make up your new ODBC DSN, these values are collectively known as your ODBC DSN Attributes. Click on the "Finish" button in order to store these values permanently on your hard disk.
Click on the "exit" button to exit the ODBC DSN configuration wizard
The OpenLink Admin assistant also allows the more experience OpenLink ODBC user to manage ODBC DSNs via a forms based interface. Like the wizard based approach this is done entirely from within your browser. In the sections that follow, a step by guide and illustrative screen shots are used to demonstrate the process of creating the same ODBC DSN created in the prior section using the Wizard approach.
Start up the web-based Admin Assistant available for use, if not already started:
bash$ sh iodbc-admin-httpd.sh start
Enter the following URL into your Web Browser (if the Admin Assistant isn't already initialized): http://localhost:8000 You will be presented with a screen similar to the one below. Notice that the "Client Component Administration", "Data Source Names Configuration" and "Edit Data Sources By Form" hyperlinks have been expanded.
Click on the "Edit ODBC Data Sources" hyperlink to commence the process of creating a new ODBC DSN.
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On the right side of the Admin Assistant pane is your start page for configuring ODBC DSNs using the Forms approach. This page presents to you a list of currently configured ODBC DSNs on the machine. Click the "Add" hyperlink in the Action Column
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You are now presented with a table listing that comprises ODBC Drivers installed on your system, move on to the row that identifies the ODBC Driver that you will be creating your DSN for, then click on the "New" hyperlink.
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Enter values into the fields presented on the ODBC DSN form as follows:
enter values that uniquely identify the DSN being created, our example uses the name "SQL Server on NT" to indicate that this DSN will be connecting you to a SQL Server database on an NT server.
enter values that provide additional information that helps in describing the purpose of the DSN that you are creating.
enter a valid username for the database that you are connecting to, you can leave this blank and be prompted for values at actual database connect time.
enter the name of an actual SQL Server database, in this case our example uses the database "pubs"
check this box if you require a read only session.
check this box if you do not to be prompted by your ODBC Driver for username and password dialog box at connect time.
Check this box to defer the fetching of long data. See the Release Notes section for more details.
enter database server connection values for the database that your are connecting to, in this case enter valid SQL Server database server connection values (where "-s pluto" represent an actual SQL Server instance currently available on your network).
enter a value that identifies the type of OpenLink Agent that will serve your ODBC client.
Chose the type of network connection to be used from TCP/IP, SPX/IPX and DECnet. Note some operating systems do not support all the choices. In most cases uses TCP/IP.
enter a value that identifies the server machine running your OpenLink Server Components.
Enter the TCP port number of the Broker to contact. This corresponds to the Listen parameter on the target Broker.
enter a value that represents the number of records that you would like your ODBC driver to retrieve during each network hop. A network hop represents the number of times your OpenLink ODBC send a message across the network to retrieve records from your remote database server. The feature can be used to improve ODBC record retrieval performance.
Note: The screen shot below is a snapshot of the ODBC DSN for, click on the right-hand scroll bar to see all the fields described above.
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Click on the "Add" button at the foot of the page to complete the creation of your new ODBC DSN.
The DSN may then be tested, or you can return to the DSN list.
A number of configuration session parameters are available to adminstrators of OpenLink ODBC Drivers, these parameters can be managed via the Web Browser based Admin Assistant or by manually editing the file "udbc.ini" situated in the "bin" sub-directory of your OpenLink installation directory. These parameter enable you tailor the behaviour of your ODBC Drivers for UNIX in line with the requirements of your ODBC based solutions and any general infrastructural requirements that you may have.
The list of configurable session parameters and their descriptions are as follows:
|
Parameter |
Default Value |
Description |
|---|---|---|
|
BrokerTimeout |
30 |
The time (in secs) that the OpenLink ODBC client application will wait for the OpenLink Request Broker to accept or reject a database connection. |
|
ReceiveTimeout |
60 |
The time (in secs) that the OpenLink ODBC client will wait for an ODBC request to be completed. |
|
RetryTimeout |
5 |
The amount of wait time (in secs) before the OpenLink ODBC client attempts to re-execute a failed call. After each attempt this value is doubled. The life time of this value never exceeds the BrokerTimeout during intial connection establishment, and never exceeds the ReceiveTimeout when sessions have been established. |
|
SendSize |
4096 |
The size (in kilobytes) of the OpenLink ODBC client's outward bound message packets. |
|
ReceiveSize |
16000 |
The size (in kilobytes) of the OpenLink ODBC client's server bound message packets. |
|
DebugFile |
empty |
When this variable contains a valid file and path reference, all ODBC API calls will be logged and stored in the file name referenced. |
OpenLink also provides a sample ODBC based dynamic SQL application that enables you verify usability of your ODBC installation. The sample application is situated within the "samples" sub-directory below your OpenLink installation directory. The ODBC sample application is called "odbctest".
The following steps guide you through the process of successfully utilising this sample application. This exercise presumes that we are connecting to a DSN called "SQL Server on NT", which connects us to a remote SQL Server Database hosted on a machine called "pluto" via the OpenLink Server components on an Windows 95/98/NT/2000 application server called "ntappserver".
Ensure that your OpenLink Request Broker is up and running on the machine "ntappserver" (you can quickly confirm this by opening up your browser and entering the following URL: http://ntappserver:8000 )
At your UNIX command prompt type in the following command:
odbctest
Enter a full or partial ODBC connect string at the ODBC applications command prompt, some examples are listed below:
If the previous step is successful you are now ready to execute SQL interactively against your remote database, to do this enter the following SQL command:
select * from authors
To quit this application type in "exit" at the SQL command line prompt.
UDBC shares its API with ODBC, and is provided for platforms that do not have a suitable ODBC driver manager - it is for legacy unix systems which did not support dynamic library functions. As such, it is deprecated, and documented here only for completeness.
UDBC, like ODBC, is based on the notion of logical references to database backends through the use of Data Source Names. Under UDBC, these are described as Universal Data Source Names (UDSNs) due to the cross data access standard nature of these Data Source Names (they are usable by OpenLink Drivers for ODBC and JDBC).
The OpenLink Universal Data Access Driver Suite includes an HTTP based utility called the OpenLink Admin Assistant that enables you create, configure, and manage UDSNs via a Web Browser. Since this is HTTP based, you can even do this remotely, security measures exist avoid unwanted tampering. The Admin Assistant provides a wizards and HTML forms based user interfaces.
You identify your UDSN file to UDBC Drivers via the Environment Variable "UDBCINI". Your OpenLink UDBC SDK installation process will place a sample of this file in the 'doc' installation subdirectory. The OpenLink shell script ("openlink.sh") will look for the runtime copy of this file in the 'bin' directory of your installation, and export it to the $UDBCINI environment variable. Manually, the UDBCINI environment variable is set using the command:
UDBCINI=/usr/openlink/bin/udbc.ini ; export UDBCINI
The above presumes that your OpenLink installation's base directory is: /usr/openlink. Use an appropriate directory in its place.
The UDBC Client Components SDK chapter.
Configuring UDBC data sources using: Wizards Based Assistant or Forms Based Assistant
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