Progress
DataServer
for ODBC Guide


Introduction

The DataServer for ODBC allows you to develop and deploy Progress 4GL or WebSpeed applications that access the following ODBC-compliant data sources: DB2‚ (DB2/NT, DB2/6000, and DB2/MVS), Informix‚, Microsoft‚ Access, Microsoft SQL Server‘, and Sybase‚. Throughout this manual, the term ODBC data sources, or simply data sources, refers specifically to these data sources.The DataServer for ODBC fully supports the Microsoft SQL Server‘ features for Version 6.5 and lower. To obtain DataServer support for Microsoft SQL Server 7.0‘ or higher use the Progress DataServer for Microsoft SQL Server‘. The DataServer for ODBC is fully compliant with ODBC-3.5. However, the DataServer for ODBC only partially implements ODBC-2.0 and ODBC-3.0 features, such as stored procedures. For more information on stored procedures and other programming feature functionality, see Programming Considerations."

The DataServer for ODBC allows you to access your ODBC data source with the Progress 4GL and develop applications within the Progress Application Development Environment (ADE). The ADE is a set of tools that helps you to maintain data sources and develop applications with graphical user interfaces. In addition to providing you with the ADE tools, the DataServer allows you to implement the Progress database features and Progress 4GL expansions in applications that run with the supported data sources. Some of these tools and features are:

Note that using the DataServer to access an ODBC data source does not provide you with access to all Progress 4GL, WebSpeed, and database features. For details, see Programming Considerations."

Two versions of the DataServer for ODBC are available:

NOTE: To install and use an ODBC driver successfully, your system must meet the driver system requirements for connecting to data sources. These system requirements are documented in the DataDirect Connect Reference available on the Progress product CD in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. You can view and print this book using Acrobat Reader licensed from Adobe Systems. You can download the Acrobat Reader software from the Adobe Web site at no charge. The URL for the Acrobat Reader is: http://www.adobe.com/prodindex/acrobat/readstep.html.

This manual documents both versions and uses the term DataServer for ODBC to refer to features and functionality that are common to both. Features and functions that are specific to the Personal DataServer or the Enterprise DataServer are noted as such.

This chapter describes the DataServer for ODBC and discusses how Progress and WebSpeed applications work with it to access data sources through the ODBC standard. It discusses the following topics:

Subsequent chapters provide additional information about using the DataServer. If you are using the DataServer with WebSpeed and with applications written in SpeedScript, all information regarding Progress 4GL applies to your application.

NOTE: Do not attempt to use the DataServer without first reading the Progress Release notes, the Progress Installation and Configuration Guide Version 9 for Windows and the programming guidelines in Chapter 2. Also, be sure to follow the step-by-step instructions in "Configuring the DataServer," and "Connecting the DataServer," for installing, configuring, and connecting to a data source.


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