Although data sources are especially designed for Windows, Sybase IQ allows you to create and use them on UNIX servers as well. This allows ODBC–based client applications to connect to databases on UNIX servers.
When you connect to a database using ODBC, you use an ODBC data source. The data source contains a set of connection parameters. You need an ODBC data source on the client computer for each database to which you connect.
If you have a data source, your connection string can simply name the data source to use:
Data source Use the DSN connection parameter to reference a user or system data source:
DSN=my data source
On Windows, user and system data sources are stored in the registry and in the file odbc.ini. On UNIX platforms user data sources are in the file .odbc.ini.
File data source Use the FileDSN connection parameter to reference a data source held in a file:
FileDSN=mysource.dsn
Except for encrypted passwords, which are allowed in FileDSNs only, you can put identical connection information in DSNs and FileDSNs.
Sybase IQ permits ODBC data sources for several purposes in addition to Windows applications using the ODBC interface:
Sybase IQ client applications on UNIX can use ODBC data sources, as well as those on Windows operating systems.
Sybase IQ client applications using the OLE DB or Embedded SQL interfaces can use ODBC data sources, as well as ODBC applications.
Interactive SQL and Sybase Central can use ODBC data sources.
