Configuring a Database Connection

Before you can sign onto a database, you must configure an ODBC Datasource for that database.

The way in which you configure an ODBC Datasource is different for each type of database. In the following sections I describe how this is done for each database type. In this section I give some general comments about how this is done.

Note: the sections on configuring database connections are still being written and are currently incomplete.

As a general rule, the following steps need to be done in order to access a database:

Install Database Client Sofware and/or ODBC Driver.

In most cases, before you can connect to your database you will need both:

• a Client for your database. The client manages the communication between your PC and the Database server.
• an ODBC Driver for your database. This provides the translation between the ODBC calls used by AQT and the native interface to your database.

In many cases, the client and ODBC Driver are packaged together (eg. when you install the client, you will also get the ODBC driver).

Client software is not required for MS Access, MS SQL Server, text, Excel and dBase databases, as drivers for these come as a part of the standard Windows install.

Configure the Client

You will need to configure the database client in order for it to connect to your database. For some databases, configuring the database client is done as part of the ODBC Datasource Setup, for other databases this is a separate step.

In order for your client to be able to connect with the server, it will need to know the following information:

• the hostname (or IP address) of the machine where the database resides. If the database resides on your own machine, specify localhost
• the port your database server is "listening" on. In general you should accept the default given by the configuration dialog.
• you may also be required to specify miscellaneous other parameters relating to the way the ODBC driver interacts with the database.

We cannot help you with this information - you will need to see your DBA for this information.

Administering ODBC Datasources

This can be done in two ways.

• start the Microsoft ODBC Data Source Administrator. This can be done from the AQT Signon window (click on ODBC Admin), or (in Windows XP) Start > Programs > Administrative Tools > Data Sources (ODBC)
• the AQT Signon window has buttons for Adding, Configuring or Deleting ODBC Datasources.

Set up an new Datasource

To create a new ODBC Datasource:

• click on New
• select the ODBC Driver for your database.
• specify whether you wish to create a User Datasource or a System Datasource. User Datasources can only be seen by you, System Datasources can be seen by all users on your machine. If you have restricted rights on your PC, you will not be able to create a System Datasources.
• click on Next. This will take you to the ODBC Driver Setup dialog for that ODBC Driver
• follow through the dialog for setting up the datasource

Many ODBC Drivers have a button Test Connection. It is a good idea to use this to see whether the connection to the database has been configured correctly.

If you create a new ODBC Datasource, you can update the list in the AQT Signon window with Refresh. You will need to select Show All (not Show Recent) in order to see this new datasource.