Re: Attaching Microsoft Access to Informix Online 5.0

Nils Myklebust wrote: > > Tim Schaefer <tschaefe@mindspring.com> wrote: > > :Daniel James wrote: > :> > :> Gerard Kilburn wrote: > :> > :> > You need an ODBC driver - (I use Intersolve's DataDirect ODBC Driver for > :> > Informix 5), > :> > and Informix-Net (from Informix).Load these on your PC and Configuration is > :> > then a piece of cake(: > :> > :> I wouldn't exactly say a piece of cake. I had a heck of a time getting > :> these configured. We're using Openlink's drivers now. Easier to > :> configure and much better performance as well (also I-Net is not > :> required--part of the performance increase, as well as a cost savings). > :> > :> -- > :> ----------------------------------------------------------------------- > :> Daniel James - Database Administrator djames@statsci.com > :> DAPD Div of MathSoft (formerly StatSci) (206) 283-8802 x284 > : > :And I had just the opposite experience. I could not get Openlink to > :work with I-net--tried this past week-end-- > > Must be OpenLink Lite which you shouldn't use unless you absolutly > *must* have I-Net/I-Connect running as well (to run some product that > requires a "native" connection). I have never tried this version. > Well, I'm not using them now! :-) I-net is such a disaster I can't believe Informix persists with this "product". Surely there's some large organizations that have complained. But maybe not. Just the confusion this product generates is reason enough to yank it off the distribution. > :but COULD get Intersolv's 3.x > :drivers to work, WITHOUT I-net. > > I can't connect to www.intersolv.com right now, but this must mean you > have the server based drivers (formerly at least called Seaquelink or > something like that). They may of corse also have gotten the protocol > spesification for I-Net/I-Connect and included that directly in their > drivers. > These are their downloadable drivers--can't remember which ones--but the ODBC32 Manager shows all the latest ones as 3.0. The previous ones were 2.1xxx . And who knows, maybe they did include I-net in the driver. It really works well. > : I tested them with Informix OWGS, and > :SQLServer, and the clients were S-Designor/Appdesigner, ER/Win, Visual > :Basic, and Visual C++. Didn't try with Access--don't have it. > > Do these give you added security so users can't simply start a datbase > browser application (like MS Access and several others) and hack the > whole database? > Don't know Nils. I was "simply" trying to connect to the damn data base. :-) This whole networking thing is a major pain in the ass. EVERY single time I use an ODBC or I-net connection I wonder if it's going to connect or some strange error is going to occur, and die. It remains a toss-up, whether to my UNIX System or NT. The ODBC connection with Intersolv is very good, and a comfort, compared to I-net. It took about 5 minutes to set up, and I was connected--and amazed. I had previously used Openlink drivers, and I believe they worked without I-net. Maybe Intersolv recognized an I-net connection and binds to it in some way. My ethernet network: 1 - win95 pentium ISA 166mhz 1 - winnt4.0 pentium EISA 133mhz 1 - solaris pentium ISA 166mhz 1 - linux 486 DX2 66mhz All the connections that I've set up require a login and password--not by my design, but by the vendor set-up. MSSQLServer is the lamer in this case, allowing a "trusted" connection--as long as you're a windows login that NT knows about, poof, you're connected. NT Security and connectivity as a general rule are confusing, because most of the options are not clearly stated. It never dawned on the Microsoft dweebs that people away from Seattle might not know exactly what they're talking about. I end up using an informix id mostly, out of frustration. ( And Informix, you're in the same boat as Microsoft on this one ) Informix on my OWGS box may or may not require a login, however, after going through I-net hell, I couldn't tell you for sure. So I always provide a login id. Interestingly, MS VC++ 5.0 and VB 5.0 AppWizards now generate an ODBC login for you if you so desire--at least in the enterprise editions. > :Openlink Lite clearly states you must use the I-net with their ODBC driver; > :maybe the non-lite products do not require I-net. > > That's it. It's only the server based version (non-lite) that give you > all the benefits of OpenLink - and they are many. You should read > their whitepaper. > I'll take a look... In the final analysis I don't know which ODBC driver is better, but the bottom line is I got one that works. This is from somebody who really doesn't want to become a network expert just to set up the connection. As Mr T. might say, "I pity the poor fool who don't know as much about it as me!" :-) > :Tim > :-- > :Tim Schaefer \\\\|// > :tschaefe@mindspring.com (6 6) > :------------------------oOOo---( )---o00o--------- > :http://www.inxutil.com > > Nils.Myklebust@idg.no > NM Data AS, P.O.Box 9090 Gronland, N-0133 Oslo, Norway > My opinions are those of my company > The Informix FAQ is at http://www.iiug.org -- Tim Schaefer \\\\|// tschaefe@mindspring.com (6 6) ------------------------oOOo---( )---o00o--------- http://www.inxutil.com