ODBC Setup

What is ODBC?

According to Microsoft:

Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) technology provides a common interface for accessing heterogeneous SQL databases. ODBC is based on Structured Query Language (SQL) as a standard for accessing data. This interface provides maximum interoperability: a single application can access different SQL Database Management Systems (DBMS) through a common set of code. This enables a developer to build and distribute a client/server application without targeting a specific DBMS. Database drivers are then added to link the application to the user's choice of DBMS.
Benefits:
1. ODBC Applications are not tied to a proprietary vendor API.
2. ODBC 3.0 aligns with, and is a superset of, the X/Open and ISO Call Level Interface (CLI) standards.
3. Increased performance.

More information can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/data/odbc/

What is mySQL?

(Note: mySQL documentation is at http://www.turbolift.com/mysql/)

MySQL was created by Michael Widenius, (monty@analytikerna.se). It is a small, fast and capable relational database in the tradition of Hughes Technologies Mini SQL database. (NOTE that the MySQL database package contains no Mini SQL source code, it does however share some of the same look and feel both in the C API and in the names and function of many of its programs. This has been done to make it relatively easy to port Mini SQL applications and utilities to MySQL.)

The client portion of MySQL has been placed in the public domain while most of the rest of MySQL is distributed under the license listed in appendix A of this document. Small portions are covered by either Berkeley style copyright, or GNU licenses.

David Axmark created and maintains the autoconf portion of MySQL, along with maintaining the MySQL FAQ.

The MySQL database system is free for most uses, but if support is an issue for you, that is an option as well. Having said that, I urge people to register MySQL if they can afford it, even if the license would not require that they do so. Everyone benefits by supporting this sort of product. At this point I know a lot of people out there are making money off of MySQL. If you are one of them than I ask you as a favor to me for writing the manual, and to Monty for writing MySQL PLEASE register. If you need a pragmatic reason, how are you going to feel if MySQL goes away? How are your customers going to feel?

The latest version of MySQL can be found at http://www.tcx.se

What do you mean "MySQL is ODBC Compliant"?

MySQL is ODBC Compliant, which means once you setup a DSN (data source name) on your local PC that points to an online mySQL database, you can actually add/delete and update records from your local PC.  Furthermore more, you may also use programming languages such as Visual Basic to open and manipulate this database.  

Note: In order to connect to and manipulate an online mySQL database, you must be connected to the Internet.

Why, Who and How can this be used?

• Why: MySQL with ODBC can potentially cut information management costs considerably
• Who: Businesses with an existing offline database can migrate it to the Internet and eliminate the need for two separate online/offline databases.
• How:
  Existing windows programs can be still be used to access the same database, as long as ODBC is used.
  Separate CGI and Visual Basic programs can manipulate the same database.

Setting up ODBC on your PC to access your online mySQL database.

The following links show detailed examples to configure your PC:

Microsoft Access 97 to MySQL
Microsoft Access 2000

Windows 95 or NT 4.0
Setting up ODBC on your PC to access your online mySQL database

NOTE:  You must have a mySQL database table or tables set up in order to access the database.

1. Download the ODBC Download myodbc 2.50.xx for Windows95 or NT from here.
2. Unzip the file into a temp directory and run program "setup.exe"
3. From the "Install Drivers" window, choose MySQL.
4. After installing the MySQL ODBC driver, the install program will show the "Data Sources" window. Click "Add."

Note: On Windows NT 4.0, you'll get a message saying "This application uses the old version of CTL3D32.DLL..." Just ignore
it for the moment.

5. From the "Add Data Source" Window choose MySQL from the list box and click the OK button.
6. Fill out the fields in the DSN setup window.
1. You can use any unique identifier for the Windows DNS name and description
2. Enter your control panel user id for the name of the "mySQL Database"
3. Enter your web site address (just "www.yourdomain.xxx") for the server
4. Enter your control panel user id for "user"
5. Enter your control panel / FTP password for "password"
6. Leave the "port" blank
7. Click on OK.

This will setup a MySQL DSN on your local PC.

You may start using the MySQL Data Source in your PC programs.

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