# Creating a Data Source with MariaDB Connector/ODBC **MariaDB Connector/ODBC** is a database driver that uses the industry standard [Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) API](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Database_Connectivity). Some of the key features of the driver are: * It is [LGPL-licensed](https://app.gitbook.com/s/SsmexDFPv2xG2OTyO5yV/reference/faq/licensing-questions/licensing-faq). * It is compliant with the ODBC 3.5 standard. * It can be used as a drop-in replacement for MySQL Connector/ODBC. * It supports both Unicode and ANSI modes. * It primarily uses the MariaDB/MySQL binary protocol (i.e. server-side [prepared statements](https://app.gitbook.com/s/SsmexDFPv2xG2OTyO5yV/reference/sql-statements-and-structure/sql-statements/prepared-statements)). The current release series are: * MariaDB Connector/ODBC 3.1 is the current stable release series. * MariaDB Connector/ODBC 2.0 is the previous stable release series, which is currently still supported. This page discusses how to create a data source with MariaDB Connector/ODBC. ## Creating a Data Source with MariaDB Connector/ODBC on Windows To create a data source on Windows, you would use the [ODBC Data Source Administrator](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/database-engine/configure-windows/open-the-odbc-data-source-administrator?view=sql-server-2017). {% hint style="success" %} If you are using the 64-bit version of MariaDB Connector/ODBC, then make sure you use the 64-bit version of ODBC Data Source Administrator. Similarly, if you are using the 32-bit version of MariaDB Connector/ODBC, then make sure you use the 32-bit version of ODBC Data Source Administrator. {% endhint %} To open the ODBC Data Source Administrator in **Windows 10**: * On the Start page, type ODBC Data Sources. The ODBC Data Sources Desktop App should appear as a choice. To open the ODBC Data Source Administrator in **Windows 7**: * On the Start menu, click Control Panel. * In Control Panel, click Administrative Tools. * In Administrative Tools, click Data Sources (ODBC). To open the ODBC Data Source Administrator in **Windows Server 2008**: * On the Start menu, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Data Sources (ODBC). ## Creating a Data Source with MariaDB Connector/ODBC on Linux Linux uses [UnixODBC](https://www.unixodbc.org) as a Driver Manager. To create a data source on Linux, there are two steps: * First, configure UnixODBC to recognize MariaDB Connector/ODBC as a `Driver`. * Second, configure UnixODBC with a Data Source Name (DSN) for your MariaDB Server. You will need to ensure that [UnixODBC has been installed](#changing-unixodbcs-configuration-file-paths) before you can perform these steps. ### Configuring MariaDB Connector/ODBC as a UnixODBC Driver on Linux The first step is to configure UnixODBC to recognize MariaDB Connector/ODBC as a `Driver`. To configure the `Driver`, you can use the [odbcinst](https://manpages.debian.org/stretch/odbcinst/odbcinst.1.en.html) tool, which can add a configuration entry for MariaDB Connector/ODBC to the system's global `/etc/odbcinst.ini` file. For example, create a template file similar to the following, with a name like `MariaDB_odbc_driver_template.ini`: ``` [MariaDB ODBC 3.0 Driver] Description = MariaDB Connector/ODBC v.3.0 Driver = /usr/lib64/libmaodbc.so ``` And then install it to the system's global `/etc/odbcinst.ini` file with the following command: ```bash sudo odbcinst -i -d -f MariaDB_odbc_driver_template.ini ``` At this point, you should be able to connect to MariaDB by using the `Driver` with the `SQLDriverConnect` function. To connect with `SQLDriverConnect`, you would need to specify `Driver={MariaDB ODBC 3.0 Driver}` in your connection string along with your other connection parameters. See [Parameters](https://mariadb.com/docs/connectors/mariadb-connector-odbc-guide#parameters) for connection string options. ### Configuring a DSN with UnixODBC on Linux The second step is to configure UnixODBC with a Data Source Name (DSN) for your MariaDB Server. A `DSN` allows you to centrally configure all of your server's connection parameters, so that you can easily configure how to connect to your server in your environment. To configure the `DSN`, you can use the [odbcinst](https://manpages.debian.org/stretch/odbcinst/odbcinst.1.en.html) tool, which can add a configuration entry for the given data source to the system's global `/etc/odbc.ini` file or your user's local `~/.odbc.ini` file. For example, create a template file similar to the following, with a name like `MariaDB_odbc_data_source_template.ini`: ``` [MariaDB-server] Description=MariaDB server Driver=MariaDB ODBC 3.0 Driver SERVER= USER= PASSWORD= DATABASE= PORT= ``` And then you can install it to the system's global `/etc/odbc.ini` file with the following command: ```bash sudo odbcinst -i -s -l -f MariaDB_odbc_data_source_template.ini ``` Or you can install it to your user's local `~/.odbc.ini` file with the following command: ```bash odbcinst -i -s -h -f MariaDB_odbc_data_source_template.ini ``` At this point, you should be able to connect to MariaDB by using the `DSN` with either `SQLConnect` or the `SQLDriverConnect` functions. To connect with `SQLConnect`, you would have to provide `MariaDB-server` as the `ServerName` parameter. To connect with `SQLDriverConnect`, you would have to provide `DSN={MariaDB-server}` in the connection string along with your other connection parameters. See [Parameters](https://mariadb.com/docs/connectors/mariadb-connector-odbc-guide#parameters) for connection string options. {% hint style="danger" %} UnixODBC also provides a GUI to add `DSNs`. However, MariaDB Connector/ODBC doesn't yet support this GUI interface for adding `DSNs`. {% endhint %} ### Verifying a DSN Configuration with UnixODBC on Linux You can verify that a `DSN` is properly configured with UnixODBC on Linux by using the [isql](https://manpages.debian.org/stretch/unixodbc/isql.1.en.html) utility. For example, if the `DSN` is called `MariaDB-server`, then we can verify that it works properly by executing the following: ```bash $ isql MariaDB-server ``` ```sql +---------------------------------------+ | Connected! | | | | sql-statement | | help [tablename] | | quit | | | +---------------------------------------+ SQL> SELECT @@global.hostname; +-------------------------------------------+ | @@global.hostname | +-------------------------------------------+ | ip-172-30-0-249.us-west-2.compute.internal| +-------------------------------------------+ SQLRowCount returns 1 1 rows fetched SQL> quit ``` ### Changing UnixODBC's Configuration File Paths You can also change the paths that unixODBC uses for its configuration files by changing some environment variables. For example: * `ODBCSYSINI` - Overloads path to unixODBC configuration files. By default equals to `/etc`. * `ODBCINSTINI` - Overloads the name of the drivers configuration file. It is relative to `ODBCSYSINI` and by default set to `odbcinst.ini`. * `ODBCINI` - Overloads the path to user configuration file. By default it is set to `~/.odbc.ini`. ## Creating a Data Source with MariaDB Connector/ODBC on Mac OS X Mac OS X uses [iODBC](https://www.iodbc.org) as a Driver Manager. To create a data source on Mac OS X, there are two primary ways to do it: * You can create a data source with the [iODBC Administrator](https://www.iodbc.org/dataspace/doc/iodbc/wiki/iodbcWiki/Downloads#Mac%20OS%20X) GUI tool. * You can create a data source by manually editing the [iODBC configuration file](https://www.iodbc.org/dataspace/doc/iodbc/wiki/iodbcWiki/ODBCMacOSX#Configuring). ### Creating a Data Source with iODBC Administrator on Mac OS X iODBC Administrator is not installed by default. In order to use it, you need to dowload it from [iODBC's download page](https://www.iodbc.org/dataspace/doc/iodbc/wiki/iodbcWiki/Downloads#Mac%20OS%20X) and then install it. ### Creating a Data Source with iODBC on Mac OS X The steps to create a data source with iODBC on Mac OS X can be found [here](https://www.iodbc.org/dataspace/doc/iodbc/wiki/iodbcWiki/ODBCMacOSX#Configuring). There are essentially two steps: * First, configure iODBC to recognize MariaDB Connector/ODBC as a `Driver`. * Second, configure iODBC with a Data Source Name (DSN) for your MariaDB Server. #### Configuring MariaDB Connector/ODBC as a iODBC Driver on Mac OS X The first step is to configure iODBC to recognize MariaDB Connector/ODBC as a `Driver`. The iODBC `Driver` configuration file might be at one of these paths: * The path specified by the `$ODBCINSTINI` environment variable. * `~/.odbcinst.ini` * `~/Library/ODBC/odbcinst.ini` * `/etc/odbcinst.ini` * `/Library/ODBC/odbcinst.ini` {% hint style="success" %} MariaDB Connector/ODBC's [PKG package](https://app.gitbook.com/s/SsmexDFPv2xG2OTyO5yV/server-management/install-and-upgrade-mariadb/installing-mariadb/binary-packages/installing-mariadb-server-pkg-packages-on-macos) automatically configures itself as a `Driver` in `/Library/ODBC/odbcinst.ini`, so you can most likely skip this step. {% endhint %} To add MariaDB Connector/ODBC as a `Driver`, the configuration file would look something like the following: ``` [ODBC Drivers] MariaDB ODBC 3.1 Driver = installed [MariaDB ODBC 3.1 Driver] Description=MariaDB Connector/ODBC v.3.1 Driver=/Library/MariaDB/MariaDB-Connector-ODBC/libmaodbc.dylib Threading=0 ``` #### Configuring a DSN with iODBC on Mac OS X The second step is to configure iODBC with a Data Source Name (DSN) for your MariaDB Server. A `DSN` allows you to centrally configure all of your server's connection parameters, so that you can easily configure how to connect to your server in your environment. The iODBC `DSN` configuration file might be at one of these paths: * The path specified by the `$ODBCINI` environment variable. * `~/.odbc.ini` * `~/Library/ODBC/odbc.ini` * `/etc/odbc.ini` * `/Library/ODBC/odbc.ini` To add a `DSN` that uses MariaDB Connector/ODBC, the configuration file would look something like the following: ``` [ODBC] Debug = 1 DebugFile = /tmp/odbc-debugfile.log Trace = 0 TraceFile = /tmp/odbc-tracefile.log TraceAutoStop = 1 [ODBC Data Sources] MariaDB-server = MariaDB ODBC 3.1 Driver [MariaDB-server] Description = MariaDB server Driver = /Library/MariaDB/MariaDB-Connector-ODBC/libmaodbc.dylib SERVER= USER= PASSWORD= DATABASE= PORT= ``` #### Verifying a DSN Configuration with iODBC on Mac OS X You can verify that a `DSN` is properly configured with iODBC on Mac OS X by using the [iodbctest](https://manpages.debian.org/stretch/iodbc/iodbctest.1.en.html) utility. For example, if the `DSN` is called `MariaDB-server`, then we can verify that it works properly by executing the following: ```bash $ iodbctest "DSN=MariaDB-server" ``` {% @marketo/form formId="4316" %} --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://mariadb.com/docs/connectors/mariadb-connector-odbc/creating-a-data-source-with-mariadb-connectorodbc.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.