Re: Unable to load JdbcOdbc library

From: Daniel Dittmar (daniel_at_dittmar.net)
Date: 10/13/04

  • Next message: Darren Davison: "Re: Detecting if a table in a database already exists ?" 
    Date: Wed, 13 Oct 2004 00:13:55 +0200

    SteveE wrote:
    > Actually, there is a solaris ODBC driver, as I mentioned in my
    > previous post. Also, I'm very familiar with the native JDBC method of
    > doing things, the problem is as I mentioned that our database doesn't
    > expose a JDBC interface, only an ODBC interface... hence the problem.
    > Using ODBCTEST program that comes with the Solaris ODBC driver, I can
    > connect to the DSN without problems.

    You must distinguish between a ODBC driver (which you've got) and the
    ODBC driver manager (which you haven't).

    On Windows, a program accesses the ODBC driver manager. Depending on the
    DSN, the driver manager loads the DLL for the matching driver and routes
    all calls to this driver.

    Although driver managers exist for Unix (UnixODBC, iODBC), there are not
    standard, so there is few commercial software written to access them.
    Instead, you get a library and header files that conform to the ODBC
    spec. You can now write programs that use ODBC to connect to a specific
    database, in your case Informix. But without a driver manager, you
    cannot write a program that accesses arbitrary databases for which a
    driver is installed. And the JdbcOdbc bridge would be such a program.
    That's why SUN hasn't included the bridge in Unix versions of Java.

    As about 'exposing a ODBC interface': technically speaking, databases
    expose network protocols. ODBC is then just a C library that makes the
    network protocol accessible.

    As IBM advertises the JDBC driver as type 4
    (http://java.sun.com/products/jdbc/driverdesc.html), there are several
    possibilities:

    - the JDBC driver uses the same network protocol as the ODBC driver, in
    which case it is usable for your problem
    - the JDBC driver uses a newer version of the network protocol, you're
    out of luck unless you can upgrade
    - the JDBC driver uses a different protocol that was easier to implement
    in Java. You have to start a daemon on the server side, this daemon
    translates the request to the native format. In this case you are right
    that the database doesn't expose a JDBC interface.

    Then there is the possibility than you can actually connect using 100%
    JDBC, but you want to use a 'native' driver because is has additional
    features like using your Solaris user as the database login. In that
    case you can ignore anything I said about network protocols.

    Daniel

  • Next message: Darren Davison: "Re: Detecting if a table in a database already exists ?"

    Relevant Pages

    • Re: OOP/OOD Philosophy
      ... >> How long does it take to write an ODBC driver? ... but for JDBC it is very simple. ... >driver, you can easily inject your exception throwing code. ... "The aim of science is not to open the door to infinite wisdom, ...
      (comp.object)
    • Re: OOP/OOD Philosophy
      ... >> How long does it take to write an ODBC driver? ... > I don't know about ODBC, but for JDBC it is very simple. ... > of interfaces that you have to implement. ... > driver, you can easily inject your exception throwing code. ...
      (comp.object)
    • Re: ADO .NET and Informix
      ... I will also try the generic ODBC driver. ... Informix CSDK. ... problems with the informix ado drivers in the past, ...
      (comp.databases.informix)
    • Re: Connecting to Oracle via MS ODBC driver error
      ... from windows 2003 server using microsoft odbc for oracle drivers.... ... I had problems with the Microsoft ODBC driver when we switched from ... ODBC or OLEDB driver instead (might need to perform a custom install ... How To Acquire and Install the Microsoft Oracle ODBC Driver ...
      (comp.databases.oracle.misc)
    • Re: Unable to load JdbcOdbc library
      ... >> Using ODBCTEST program that comes with the Solaris ODBC driver, ... > network protocol accessible. ... > As IBM advertises the JDBC driver as type 4 ...
      (comp.lang.java.databases)