ODBC calls on Unix

One of the lesser-known features introduced with the latest release of the c-tree Plus SDK is our new direct-link ODBC library for the c-treeSQL Server. In addition to the regular c-treeSQL ODBC driver for Windows platforms (which can be deployed royalty-free with a production edition c-treeSQL Server), FairCom provides direct-link ODBC libraries for all platforms where the c-treeSQL Server is supported.

The Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) interface from Microsoft has emerged as the standard mechanism for client applications to access data from a variety of different data sources through a single interface.

To become accessible from ODBC-compliant applications, database environments must provide a software driver for the client-side of the application. The driver translates the standard ODBC function calls into native calls the database server can process, and then returns the resulting data to the application.

With this new feature, however, the direct-link ODBC library now gives developers the ability to resolve ODBC calls on Unix and Windows platforms, without the need for any “middleware” ODBC management software to manage ODBC connections and data sources. This allows applications that rely on ODBC to be easily ported outside of the Windows domain. Bypassing the Windows ODBC Manager can also be more efficient, as your ODBC calls are handled directly by your application, resulting in greater performance. Further, your end-users avoid the hassle of the Windows ODBC Administrator utility.

Unix ODBC client applications that use the c-treeSQL ODBC direct link driver must include the following header files in any source modules that make calls to the ODBC API:

#include <sql.h>

#include <sqlext.h>

These files are found in the ctreeSDK\ctreeESQL\include directory

Unix ODBC client applications must link the following libraries to resolve any calls to the ODBC API:

ctreeSDK\ctreeODBC\ctreeSQL_ODBC\lib\libodbc_c.a

ctreeSDK\ctreeESQL\lib\libctesql.a

And did we mention cost-effective? ODBC middleware on Unix platforms can run thousands of dollars. Our direct-link ODBC drivers are included in the price of a production c-treeSQL Server and can be deployed with the c-treeSQL Server on any number of client computers at no additional charge. Another FairCom advantage!

EXAMPLES

• odbclink.mak: example make file for a typical Linux system demonstrating how to link the included c-treeSQL ODBC libraries.
• odbclink.c: example source file of an ODBC application for a typical Linux system