ODBC - Can use file DSN in Rev?

[Scott Pepperdine]

Bernard,  Perhaps I'm misunderstanding what a fileDSN is, but I don't 
believe so.  A DSN is a collection of connection parms used to connect 
to an ODBC compliant data source.  A System DSN and User DSN store that 
information in the Windows Registry.  A file DSN stores that information 
in a file, *.dsn.  That should be the only difference between 
System/User DSNs and a File DSN.  But I have not been able to make this 
work with Revolution.

I have to disagree with your assessment of the forum posting I 
referenced in my original post.  He is trying to access an ODBC 
compliant database.  The fact that it is MS Access in that case is 
irrelevant.  He was trying to connect to it using "revOpenDatabase", not 
as a "local file".  In his subsequent thread he is using a system DSN to 
connect to MS Access.  Again, since he is using a system DSN, he is 
connecting using ODBC to a database server.  The fact that he is using a 
UNC path must be how you specify the path to Access (I'm ignorant of MS 
Access, and hope to stay that way).  But he was originally trying to 
connect to an ODBC database using a fileDSN in Revolution and had to 
give it up.  I may have to do the same.

I do not see why putting the connection parms in a file instead of in 
the registry should be a distinctly unusual way to use ODBC.  It is 
simply a method to make the app self-contained and easier to distribute.

Thanks for the response,
--Scott

Bernard Devlin wrote:
> Scott, are you sure you want a fileDSN?  The issue in the forum thread
> you refer to is about connecting to Access i.e. connecting to a
> database as a local file, not a database server.
>
> The person who had the problem in that initial thread then posts a
> subsequent thread where he talks about connecting using a system DSN
> using a UNC path.  Again, this is probably Access-specific.
>
> Unless you are talking about a situation where you are going to be
> installing DB2 on every user's local PC, I don't think you mean a
> fileDSN.  In fact, I would say that a fileDSN is a distinctly unusual
> way to use ODBC.
>
> Bernard
>
> On Mon, May 18, 2009 at 4:16 PM, Scott Pepperdine <spepper at byu.net> wrote:
>   
>> Thanks Victoras,
>>
>> The data is in a DB2 database, as are a number of stored procedures I need
>> to call, so ODBC still seems like the best fit.  I'm also a little cautious
>> when it comes to SQLite when the database is reaching the many millions of
>> records size.  I know SQLite proponents will swear by it for large data
>> sets, but I haven't had time to trial this.
>>
>> So the question is still 'Will Revolution use fileDSN' configuration to
>> access databases using ODBC?
>>
>> Thank,
>> --Scott
>>
>> viktoras d. wrote:
>>     
>>> Hi Scott,
>>>
>>> The simplest way is using SQLite files, then you even do not need ODBC,
>>> and this will be 100% crossplatform and works "out of the box".
>>>
>>> Best regards
>>> Viktoras
>>>
>>> Scott Pepperdine wrote:
>>>       
>>>> Hi,
>>>>
>>>> Will Revolution work with a FileDSN to make an ODBC connection to a
>>>> database?  I've tried a little without success.  I found some entries in the
>>>> Rev forums that concluded that it was broken
>>>> (http://forums.runrev.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2382) and they were going
>>>> to submit a bug report.  But I could not locate this report in the QCC.
>>>>
>>>> I'd like to make my app self-contained and avoid making the user
>>>> configure a DSN, or make registry entries to be able to connect to a remote
>>>> database.
>>>>
>>>> Any knowledge out there on this subject?
>>>>
>>>> Thanks,
>>>> --Scott
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