DBD::ODBC -- DBD module interfacing the ODBC databases.

   $Id: README,v 1.5 1998/08/08 16:58:30 timbo Exp $

   Copyright (c) 1994,1995,1996,1997,1998  Tim Bunce
   portions Copyright (c) 1997,1998 Jeff Urlwin
   portions Copyright (c) 1997  Thomas K. Wenrich

   You may distribute under the terms of either the GNU General Public
   License or the Artistic License, as specified in the Perl README file.

   PLEASE READ THE ENTIRE README FILE CAREFULLY !

   WARNING: THIS IS MOSTLY ALPHA SOFTWARE. Your mileage may vary.

*BEFORE* BUILDING, TESTING AND INSTALLING this you will need to:

    Build, test and install Perl 5 (at least 5.004).
    It is very important to TEST it and INSTALL it!

    Build, test and install the DBI module (at least DBI 0.93).
    It is very important to TEST it and INSTALL it!

    Remember to *read* the DBI README file!

    Remember to *read* the ODBC.pm POD documentation!!!
BUILDING:

  set-up these environment variables:
    DBI_DSN   The dbi data source, e.g. 'dbi:ODBC:YOUR_DSN_HERE'
    DBI_USER  The username to use to connect to the database
    DBI_PASS  The username to use to connect to the database
    ODBCHOME  (Unix only) The dir your driver manager is installed in
  perl Makefile.PL
  make                (or nmake, if VC++ on Win32)
  make test           (or nmake, if VC++ on Win32)

TESTING
  
  make test
  make test TEST_VERBOSE=1   (if any of the t/* tests fail)
  make install               (if the tests look okay)

  Note that the tests currently all pass when using the Microsoft SQL
  server driver.  See the known compatibility list below.

  If the tests from t/09bind.t fail, that is an indication of lack of
  ODBC Level 2 functionality.  This does not (necessarily) mean that
  your installation is broken.  It does indicate that your ODBC driver
  does not support certain level 2 calls (see below).  All other tests
  should pass, however, since I've tested with a limited number of ODBC
  drivers, I could have something wrong in the test.  Please notify me
  if you have an incompatibility in the other tests.  (For example,
  some Paradox ODBC drivers *could* fail, if they don't support long
  file names, since in Paradox file names are tableName.db.).  Please
  let me know about any incompatibilities you encounter (I'm sure you
  will).  I will say, though, that I may not be able to reproduce or
  fix problems without some help, since I can't possibly install all
  the known ODBC drivers.  Please try to "solve" the problem, in
  addition to discovering it.


NOTES on ODBC Drivers and Compatibility with DBD-ODBC

This version utilizes at least one "Level 2" ODBC call (SQLDescribeParam).  
This *will* affect compatibility with specific ODBC drivers.  If the
driver is not level 2 (or does not support the level 2 function(s)
required), then full compatibility will not be available.

DBD-ODBC currently uses SQLDescribeParam for binding parameters to queries.
You may (and probably will) have success using DBD-ODBC without binding
parameters.

In the next version (or so) you should be able to use bind_param even on
level 1 drivers. Stay tuned.


KNOWN COMPATIBLE Drivers (w/level 2 calls):

Driver						Version				Platform tested
Microsoft SQL Server		v 2.65.0240			NT 4.0
Intersolv Oracle7 Driver*	v 3.00.0000			NT 4.0

*full support is optional, via configuration of DSN -- Advanced page.
Select "Enable SQLDescribeParam".


IF YOU HAVE PROBLEMS:

Do not hand edit the generated Makefile unless you are completely sure
you understand the implications! Always try to make changes via the
Makefile.PL command line and/or editing the Makefile.PL.

You should not need to make any changes. If you do *please* let me
know so that I can try to make it automatic in a later release.

This software is supported via the dbi-users mailing list.  For more
information and to keep informed about progress you can join the a
mailing list via http://www.fugue.com/dbi (if you are unable to use the
web you can subscribe by sending a message to dbi-request@perl.org, it
may take a few days to be processed).

Please post details of any problems (or changes you needed to make) to
dbi-users@perl.org and CC them to me at jurlwin@bellatlantic.net. But note...

** IT IS IMPORTANT TO INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:

1. A complete log of a all steps of the build, e.g.:

  perl Makefile.PL           (do a make realclean first)
  make
  make test
  make test TEST_VERBOSE=1   (if any tests fail)

2. Full details of which software you are using, including:

  Perl version (the output of perl -V)

It is important to check that you are using the latest version before
posting. If you're not then I'm *very* likely to simply say "upgrade to
the latest". You would do yourself a favour by upgrading beforehand.

Please remember that I'm _very_ busy. Try to help yourself first,
then try to help me help you by following these guidelines carefully.

Regards,
Tim and Jeff.

===============================================================================
Other info:

DBI 'home page': http://www.arcana.co.uk/technologia/perl/DBI/index.html

perldoc DBI
perldoc DBD::ODBC	(which will include the DBD::ODBC FAQ list)

Win32 ODBC drivers:
http://www.microsoft.com/support/products/backoffice/odbc/
Follow "Microsoft ODBC Desktop Database Drivers 3.5 For 32-Bit Programs"
and "ODBC Drivers for Win95 Applications".
For Access use version "Access ODBC driver 3.40.2111 27/03/96" or later.

Also, see the examples in the tests and the mytest directory.  They *do* show
some of the things you can do with the special DBD::ODBC functions.

End.
