5.1.6. ODBC Connections

<< Click to Display Table of Contents >>

Navigation:  5. Detailed description of the Actions > 5.1. General Parameters used in many actions >

5.1.6. ODBC Connections

 

ODBC is a generic technique to access the content of almost any relational databases.
 

ODBC is the oldest technique available to access data contained into relational databases.
 

All the databases have an ODBC driver.

 
The ANATEL~2_img46 readODBC action (see section 5.2.3), the ANATEL~2_img47 upsertODBC action (see section 5.26.4), the ANATEL~2_img48 CreateTable action (see section 5.26.5) and the ANATEL~2_img49 TeradataWriter action (see section 5.26.19) all require an ODBC connection to work.

 

 
To setup a new ODBC connection for use inside Anatella, you go to the “Manage OBC Connections” window. You can access this window in two different ways:
 

Inside the drop-down menu “Edit”, click the “Manage OBC Connections” option:

 

ANATEL~2_img50
 

Click the “Manage Connections” button inside the properties of the ANATEL~2_img46 readODBC action or the ANATEL~2_img47 upsertODBC action:
 

clip0012

 

Inside the “Manage OBC Connections” window, you can add&define two different types of ODBC connections:
 

Type 1: An ODBC connection that was defined with the MS-Windows ODBC Manager: Click here: number1

Type 2: An ODBC connection based on a connection string: Click here: number2
 

 

ANATEL~2_img57

 

 
Each ODBC connection type (“Type 1” or “Type 2”) has its PRO’s and CON’s:

 

Topic

Type 1

Type 2

Comments

Compatibility

Always supported

Only supported by a limited number of ODBC drivers

“Type 2” is supported by Oracle, MS-SQL Server, Teradata, DB2.

 

“Type 2” is unsupported by PostgreSQL, MySQL.

Administrative rights

Required

Not required

Administrative rights are required to create&edit the “ODBC DSN” inside the MS-Windows ODBC manager (not to use it).

Documentation

Extensive

Partial

Very often, the parameters of the “Type2” ODBC connections are not well documented by the database vendors.

 

In opposition, an easy “wizard” based interface is usually provided to create “Type1” ODBC connections (inside the MS-ODBC Manager).

Deployment

Complex

Easy

The “Type2” ODBC connections are easier to deploy because once the connection-string to your database is working, it’s very easy to copy-paste it everywhere you need connectivity.

 

In opposition, creating a “Type1” ODBC connection requires many clicks and editing operations inside the MS-ODBC Manager. Furthermore, only the people with administrative rights can do these editing operations inside the MS-ODBC Manager.

Robustness

Low

High

Once a “Type2” ODBC connections is setup, it will continue to work, almost indefinitively.

 

A “Type1” ODBC connection requires the presence of a matching “ODBC DSN” inside the MS-Windows ODBC manager. If this “ODBC DSN” disappear from the MS-Windows ODBC manager (e.g. your administrator removed it), your database connection is broken.

 
In the next 2 sections (5.1.6.1 and 5.1.6.2.), we’ll review the procedure step-by-step to create each ODBC connection type (“Type 1” or “Type 2”). The sections from 5.1.6.3 to 5.1.6.6. give more explanations on the detailed setup of the ODBC drivers of each database.