Setting Up ODBC


ODBC Definition: Short for Open Database Connectivity, a standard database access method developed by SQL Access group in 1992. The goal of ODBC is to make it possible to access any data from any application regardless of which database management system (DBMS) is handling the data. ODBC manages this by inserting a middle layer, called a database driver, between the application and the DBMS (the Firebird database for DBA). The purpose of this layer is to translate the application's data queries and commands that the DBA Firebird understands. For this to work, both the application and the DBA Firebird database must be ODBC-compliant.


Warning: ODBC is meant to be used as "read only" access to our database. Writing to our data tables can cause irreparable harm. Please refer to the rules and restrictions section in the following document.


DBA Data Dictionary


DBA does not come with a built in ODBC driver. In order to communicate with other databases or applications that are ODBC compliant you will need to install an ODBC driver for the Firebird/Interbase database. The following ODBC driver is recommended.


Link for Firebird_ODBC_2.0.0.151_Win32.exe


(Note: If clicking the above link does not work, click on the link from the Firebird SQL Downloads page)


Step One: Download and Install an ODBC Driver


Download the ODBC driver above and install by following the instructions from the developer.


Step Two: Launch ODBC using Windows Run


Most modern Windows operating systems are 64-bit.  Because DBA is a 32-bit program, you need to run the 32-bit ODBC driver to work with DBA. 

On 64-bit Windows platforms, there is both a 32-bit and a 64-bit version of ODBC Administrator. Note: If you're running a 32-bit operating system, you should be able to launch ODBC from the Windows Control Panel.


To work with the 32-bit ODBC driver sources in 64-bit Windows, you need to use the 32-bit ODBC Administrator.  To run the 32-bit version of the ODBC Administrator, in the Windows Run dialog box, type:


%windr%\syswow64\odbcad32.exe



Step Three: Setup ODBC on your Windows Server


You will open the ODBC Data Source Administrator using the Windows Run command from above.  Once you are in the ODBC Data Source Administrator, do these steps:


  • Select System DSN Tab
  • Select Add
  • Select the Firebird/Interbase ODBC driver you previously installed.
  • Type a Data Source Name (DSN) such as DBA.
  • Specify the new Firebird driver. This should prefill from your previous selection.
  • Browse and select the path to the DBA system database file. This is your ejdb.fdb file and should be located in the database folder of your DBA Manufacturing program directory. You will need to also include the name of the server (or your PC name if a standalone install) and a colon before the path (see the example below where we have installed DBA to it's default location on the server and the server's computer name is SERVERNAME).
  • Enter Database Account name = SYSDBA
  • Password = masterkey
  • Test the connection



Step Four: Setup ODBC on your workstation


ODBC can be set up either on the server or workstation PC.  It doesn't need to exist on both. There are special instructions you need to follow to set up DBA at your DBA Client workstation  PC.


  • Copy the fbclient.dll file from the Firebird\Firebird_1_5\bin directory from the server onto your local PC, and reference that file in the CLIENT field in the ODBC setup. In the example below, I created a C:\Firebird folder on the local workstation and placed the fbclient.dll file in that folder.

Open the ODBC administrator using the Windows Run command from step 2.  In the ODBC Data Source Administrator window, do these steps:

  • Select System DSN Tab
  • Select Add
  • Select the Firebird/Interbase ODBC driver you previously installed.
  • Type a Data Source Name (DSN) such as DBA.
  • Specify the new Firebird driver. This should prefill from your previous selection.
  • Browse and select the path to the DBA system database file. This is your ejdb.fdb file and should be located in the database folder of your DBA Manufacturing program directory. You will need to also include the name of the server (or your PC name if a standalone install) and a colon before the path (see the example below)
  • Browse and select the fbclient.dll file you copied from the server onto your local PC in the Client field
  • Enter Database Account name = SYSDBA
  • Password = masterkey
  • Test the connection



WARNING: Do not edit database tables!!!

Under no circumstances should any DBA Manufacturing table be directly edited using DB Console or any other tool. THIS CAN CAUSE SEVERE AND IRREPARABLE HARM TO YOUR DATA, for which there is no remedy.


Special Note for DBA Classic Customers:  If you are a former DBA Classic customer accustomed to using the old system's database maintenance program, please be aware that DBA Next-Gen's Firebird database is a completely different technology than the Pervasive database used by DBA Classic. Firebird is a single table, relational database that uses automatic triggers and numerous and complicated linkages among fields and tables. If you delete linked records or edit the wrong fields, you can destroy critical data relationships that can't be recovered.