ODBC on Linux: A Comprehensive Guide（odbclinux）

Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) is a commonly used technology for connecting applications to databases. It provides a standard interface to databases on multiple operating systems, especially Windows. ODBC on Linux, however, is a different story. This article will provide a comprehensive guide to setting up and using ODBC on Linux.

ODBC is available on Linux through a few different packages. The most common packages are UnixODBC and Easysoft ODBC. UnixODBC is a community supported package with wide platform support and is an open-source. Easysoft is a commercial package with certified drivers for popular databases, such as Oracle and MySQL.

No matter which package is used, the basic installation process is always the same. First, the desired packages have to be installed. This usually involves downloading a source code file and compiling it by running “./configure” and “make”. After the installation is complete, the user has to configure the environment by setting a few environment variables. These environment variables are the same for both UnixODBC and Easysoft ODBC. Once this is done, the user is ready to use ODBC on their Linux system.

In order to use ODBC, an ODBC data source has to be created. This is done with the “odbcinst -i -s” command. This command takes a file as an argument which contains the details about the data source that has to be created. This file has to be created in a specific format. After the data source has been created, it can be used for establishing a connection to the database.

The next step is to create an ODBC DSN, which stands for Data Source Name. This is essentially a name that identifies the data source, which is stored in the odbc.ini configuration file. After the DSN has been created, it can be accessed in applications by referencing it directly.

Finally, the last step is to test the ODBC connection. This is done with the “isql” command, which takes the DSN as a parameter. This command tests the connection and displays all the information about the data source and the user’s connection to it. After testing the connection is successful, the user is ready to start using the ODBC connection.

ODBC on Linux is relatively easy to set up and use. Once the right package has been installed and the environment has been configured, it only takes a few steps to get started. With the right configuration, it can be an extremely powerful tool for connecting applications with databases.