To prepare Synergy data for ODBC access, you’ll need to create a system catalog, a connect file, and a DSN. In addition, you’ll need a Synergy repository that defines the data in the Synergy database, and you’ll need to install xfODBC.
The following is a summary of the steps you’ll follow as you use xfODBC to generate a system catalog, modify the system catalog, and then access your Synergy database. To use these steps with the sample database, see Using the Sample Database As a Tutorial.
| 1. | Install and configure xfODBC |
Install Synergy/DE Professional Series, including the Connectivity Series component, on your system. See the installation instructions that accompanied your distribution for detailed instructions, and see Configuring Connectivity Series.
| 2. | Set catalog generation options |
Prepare your environment and set options for system catalog generation. Make sure you specify a dbcreate (or DBA program) option that creates privilege-based users or level-based users and groups. See Setting catalog generation options.
| 3. | Generate a system catalog |
Generate a system catalog from your repository definitions. See Generating the system catalog.
| 4. | Set up a connect file |
Create a connect file that specifies the current location of the Synergy database. See Creating the connect file.
| 5. | Customize the system catalog |
If your system catalog supports level-based users and groups, use DBA to open your system catalog (see Opening the system catalog in DBA), and then modify the users and groups you initialized earlier, and assign group access levels. See Managing level-based users and groups and Managing access with users, groups, and table settings.
If necessary, set table access levels in your conversion setup file and regenerate the system catalog, specifying the conversion setup file as input. See Generating and editing a conversion setup file.
You can also use DBA to make any necessary changes to the system catalog tables or columns and their attributes. See Customizing tables and table elements.
| 6. | Create a DSN |
Create an ODBC data source name (DSN) to access your data. See Setting up access with DSNs.
| 7. | Set data access options |
Set options that affect the way xfODBC accesses data. See Setting runtime data access options.
| 8. | Access your Synergy database |
Do the following:
- Open a third-party, ODBC-enabled application.
- In the third-party application, choose the DSN for the Synergy database. (The third-party application calls the ODBC Driver Manager, which in turn calls xfODBC.)
- If necessary, at the log-in window enter your username and password. You should now be able to access the Synergy database from the third-party application.
See Accessing a Synergy Database for more information. And note that if your system catalog supports privilege-based users, you can use GRANT and REVOKE statements to manage users and their privileges (see Managing privilege-based users and privileges).
