How to Install ODBC Data Sources

DataHabitat uses ODBC-Open Database Connectivity to access  databases. Select a database below to learn how you can set up an ODBC data source. And if you need free drivers, please pick them up here.

Microsoft SQL Server
Oracle
DB2 400
Paradox
Access
Excel
Text

Microsoft SQL Server and ODBC

• In order to use a Microsoft SQL Server database, you must have a specific ODBC driver installed in your computer.
• Click Start, and then point to Settings. Click Control Panel. Double-click the icon ODBC data Sources (32bit).
• Select the System DSN tab.  Click the Add... button.
• Select the SQL Server driver from the list. Click Finish.
• Enter "VAM" (uppercase) as the data source name and select the SQL you want to connect to. Click Next >.
• Select the authentication method you want. If you select “With SQL Server authentication…“, inform the SQL Server Login and Password. Click Next>. 
• Change the default database to the one you want to use. Click Next>.
• Select only the box “Perform translation for character data”. Click Finish.
• Click Test Data Source… The result must show “TESTS COMPLETED SUCCESSFULLY!” Click Ok and Ok again.
• Finally, click OK to exit the ODBC Data Source Administrator.

Oracle 7.3 or 8.0 and ODBC

• To use Oracle through ODBC, you have to install SQLNet, an Oracle client, in your computer. Then create a service using Oracle's SQLNet Easy Configuration.
• Click Start, and point to Settings. Click Control Panel. Double-click the icon ODBC data Sources (32bit).
• Please use Microsoft Oracle ODBC driver. Oracle's driver cannot be used because it does not accept the option Scrollable Cursor. 
• Select the System DSN tab. Click the Add... button.
• Select the Microsoft ODBC for Oracle driver. Click Finish.
• Enter a name and a description (optional) for the Data source. Then enter the name of the service created in the Server.

DB2 400 and ODBC

• In order to use DB2 with ODBC, you must have a DB2 client (Client Access ODBC driver) installed in your computer.
• You have to set some parameters in the ODBC Data Source Administrator. Click Start, and then point to Settings. Click Control Panel. Double-click the icon ODBC data Sources (32bit).
• Select the System DSN tab.  Click the Add... button.
• Select the Client Access ODBC Driver from the list. Click Finish. Enter the data source name.
• Select the option Configure. You will find the tags General, Server, Format, Performance, Language, Other, Other (2).
• Select the tag General and enter descriptions and user identification.
• Select the tag Server and enter the name of the standard library. For the option Commit mode, select Commit immediate.
• Select the tag Format and set following options:
  -- Naming convention - SQL naming convention.
  -- Decimal separators - . (period).
  For Time and Date Format, choose any selection you prefer.
• Select the tag Performance and use the default options.
• Select the tag Language. Use the option Sort based on HEX values as the Sort type.
• Select the tag Other and set the options:
  -- Translation - Do not translate CCSID 65535.
  -- Object description type - OS/400 object description.
  -- Scrollable cursors - Always scrollable.
• Finally, select the tag Other (2), and use Read/Call (Select and Call statements allowed) for the option Connection type.

Paradox and ODBC

• Copy the ldapi32.dll DLL to Windows System directory (Ex.: c:\Windows\System). This DLL allows the access to Paradox databases through Borland Database Engine (BDE). In order to use an ODBC driver with Paradox, you have to install the BDE that comes with the main Borland products. The ldapi32.dll DLL is installed together with the BDE, and can be found using the Windows tool Find. (For more information, refer to BDE's and DataDirect ODBC Pack's help).
• Check if you have the Winzip application in your computer. If so, install DataDirect Paradox ODBC driver. If you don't have the driver, visit DataDirect's web site to download evaluation drivers. With the driver file in your computer, double-click on it, then select the option Install from the Winzip tool bar. Follow the instructions and select a driver.
• Check if your Windows was installed in your computer as the ODBC administrator. To do that, click Start, and then point to Settings. Click Control Panel. Check if the icon ODBC data Sources (32bit) is available. If it is not available, install the ODBC administrator, and double-click the icon   as explained above. 
• Select the System DSN tab.  Click the Add... button.
• Select DataDirect 3.11 32-BIT Paradox File, or similar, from the list. Click  Finish. Enter the Data Souce name, and description (optional), then enter the path to the database you want to use (or enter the alias being used in the BDE, with ":" before and after the alias - Ex. :DBDEMOS:). 

Microsoft Access and ODBC

• In order to use a Microsoft Access database, you must have installed a specific ODBC driver in your computer.
• Click Start, and then point to Settings. Click Control Panel. Double-click the icon ODBC data Sources (32bit).
• Select the System DSN tab.  Click the Add... button.
• Select Microsoft Access Driver. Use the option Database / Select to inform the directory where the database is.

Excel Workbooks and ODBC

• In order to use Excel workbooks through ODBC, you have to have an Excel ODBC driver installed in your computer. 
• To configure the ODBC driver, click Start, and point to Settings. Click Control Panel, then double-click the icon ODBC data Sources (32bit). 
• Select the System DSN tab.  Click the Add... button.
• Select the Microsoft Excel Driver (*.xls) from the list. Click Finish. Select the option Select Workbook and inform the directory where the workbooks are located.  
• Because workbooks can have non-structured data, it's necessary to specify areas inside the workbooks by naming them as tables. Using the mouse, select the workbook area that will be part of the table, then use the menu option Insert / Name / Define. Enter a name for the table.
• Each area of the workbook named as a table will be treated as a separate table by the ODBC driver. 

Text Files and ODBC

• In order to use text files through ODBC, you must have installed a text driver in your computer.
• Check if your Windows was installed in your computer as the ODBC administrator. To do that, click Start, and then point to Settings. Click Control Panel. Check if the icon ODBC data Sources (32bit) is available. If it is not available, install the ODBC administrator, then double-click the icon  as explained above.
• You have to set some parameters in the ODBC Data Source Administrator. Each driver has its particularities.  So far, we have experienced good results with  DataDirect text driver, which we recommend. Evaluation versions are available on DataDirect's web site.
• Select the System DSN tab.  Click the Add... button.
• Select the Intersolv 3.11 32-bit Text File (*.*). Click  Finish. A new form will be presented with the following tags: General, Advanced and About.
• Select the tag General and inform the Data Source Name,  the Database Directory (where the files are located), the Default Table Type (Character, Comma, Fixed, Stream, Tab), and the Delimiter Character. Use the form Help to obtain more information.
• Select the tag Advanced. You can keep the default options.  Click Define to define the characteristics of each file. In the Table field, inform the name of the file. Click Help to see options' details.