9.2.1 How To Install MyODBC

MyODBC 2.50 is a 32-bit ODBC 2.50 specification level 0 (with level 1 and level 2 features) driver for connecting an ODBC-aware application to MySQL. MyODBC works on Windows 9x/Me/NT/2000/XP and most Unix platforms. MyODBC 3.51 is an enhanced version with ODBC 3.5x specification level 1 (complete core API + level 2 features).

MyODBC is Open Source, and you can find the newest version at http://www.mysql.com/downloads/api-myodbc.html. Please note that the 2.50.x versions are LGPL licensed, whereas the 3.51.x versions are GPL licensed.

If you have problem with MyODBC and your program also works with OLEDB, you should try the OLEDB driver.

Normally you only need to install MyODBC on Windows machines. You only need MyODBC for Unix if you have a program like ColdFusion that is running on the Unix machine and uses ODBC to connect to the databases.

If you want to install MyODBC on a Unix box, you will also need an ODBC manager. MyODBC is known to work with most of the Unix ODBC managers.

To install MyODBC on Windows, you should download the appropriate MyODBC `.zip' file, unpack it with WinZIP or some similar program, and execute the `SETUP.EXE' file.

On Windows/NT/XP you may get the following error when trying to install MyODBC:

An error occurred while copying C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MFC30.DLL. Restart
Windows and try installing again (before running any applications which
use ODBC)

The problem in this case is that some other program is using ODBC and because of how Windows is designed, you may not in this case be able to install a new ODBC drivers with Microsoft's ODBC setup program. In most cases you can continue by just pressing Ignore to copy the rest of the MyODBC files and the final installation should still work. If this doesn't work, the solution is to reboot your computer in ``safe mode`` (Choose this by pressing F8 just before your machine starts Windows during rebooting), install MyODBC, and reboot to normal mode.

• To make a connection to a Unix box from a Windows box, with an ODBC application (one that doesn't support MySQL natively), you must first install MyODBC on the Windows machine.
• The user and Windows machine must have the access privileges to the MySQL server on the Unix machine. This is set up with the GRANT command. See section 4.3.1 GRANT and REVOKE Syntax.
• You must create an ODBC DSN entry as follows:
  • Open the Control Panel on the Windows machine.
  • Double-click the ODBC Data Sources 32-bit icon.
  • Click the tab User DSN.
  • Click the button Add.
  • Select MySQL in the screen Create New Data Source and click the Finish button.
  • The MySQL Driver default configuration screen is shown. See section 9.2.2 How to Fill in the Various Fields in the ODBC Administrator Program.
• Now start your application and select the ODBC driver with the DSN you specified in the ODBC administrator.

Notice that there are other configuration options on the screen of MySQL (trace, don't prompt on connect, etc) that you can try if you run into problems.

User Comments

It would be great if there was documentation about uninstalling myodbc?

i want a BIG explanatin

Add your own comment.