Introduction to unixODBC
The unixODBC package is an Open
Source ODBC (Open DataBase Connectivity) sub-system and an ODBC SDK
for Linux, Mac OSX, and UNIX. ODBC is an open specification for
providing application developers with a predictable API with which
to access data sources. Data sources include optional SQL Servers
and any data source with an ODBC Driver. unixODBC contains the following components
used to assist with the manipulation of ODBC data sources: a driver
manager, an installer library and command line tool, command line
tools to help install a driver and work with SQL, drivers and
driver setup libraries.
This package is known to build and work properly using an LFS 12.2
platform.
Package Information
unixODBC Dependencies
Optional
Mini SQL
Installation of unixODBC
Install unixODBC by running the
following commands:
./configure --prefix=/usr \
--sysconfdir=/etc/unixODBC &&
make
This package does not come with a test suite.
Now, as the root user:
make install &&
find doc -name "Makefile*" -delete &&
chmod 644 doc/{lst,ProgrammerManual/Tutorial}/* &&
install -v -m755 -d /usr/share/doc/unixODBC-2.3.12 &&
cp -v -R doc/* /usr/share/doc/unixODBC-2.3.12
Command Explanations
--enable-drivers: This parameter
enables building the drivers that were installed by default in
previous versions.
--enable-drivers-conf: This parameter
enables building the driver configuration libraries that were
installed by default in previous versions.
Configuring unixODBC
Config Files
/etc/unixODBC/*
Configuration Information
The files in /etc/unixODBC are
meant to be configured by the system administrator (or the ODBC
site administrator if appropriate privileges are granted to
/etc/unixODBC). These files are not
meant to be directly edited. The ODBC installer library is
responsible for reading and writing the unixODBC config files.
Unfortunately, there are not many man, or any info pages for the various
programs available in the unixODBC package. Along with the information
in the “Short
Descriptions” below and the documentation installed
in /usr/share/doc/unixODBC-2.3.12,
there are many README files
throughout the source tree where the use and functionality of the
programs can be found. Additionally, you can use the parameter
-? for syntax and usage information.
Lastly, the unixODBC web site at
http://www.unixodbc.org/ has very
good information.
Contents
Installed Programs:
dltest, isql, iusql, odbc_config,
odbcinst, and slencheck
Installed Libraries:
libodbc.so, libodbccr.so, and
libodbcinst.so
Installed Directories:
/etc/unixODBC and
/usr/share/doc/unixODBC-2.3.12
Short Descriptions
|
dltest
|
is a utility used to check a shared library to see if it
can be loaded and if a given symbol exists in it
|
|
isql
|
is a utility which can be used to submit SQL to a data
source and to format/output results. It can be used in
batch or interactive mode
|
|
iusql
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provides the same functionality as the isql program
|
|
odbc_config
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is used to find out details about the installation of the
unixODBC package
|
|
odbcinst
|
is a utility created for install script/RPM writers. It
is a command line interface to key functionality in the
libodbcinst library. It
does not copy any files (i.e., libraries) but it will
modify the ODBC System Information for the user
|
|
slencheck
|
is a utility which attempts to check whether an ODBC
driver was built with 32-bit or 64-bit SQLLEN types
|