ODBCTEST v2.2 - ODBC test application 
======================================

ODBCTEST is a small test application that enables you to connect to an 
ODBC source and execute SQL statements against it. It is there for those 
of you that do not already have some other (and better) application able 
to talk to ODBC drivers. Its main strong point is its ability to return 
the raw ODBC error messages directly to you without any filtering. This 
can be a very handy feature. You may also find it a nice utility if you 
often issue long streams of SQL against different ODBC compatible 
databases. 

ODBCTEST is written by Jorgen Grosbol, ISS Data, Denmark, in 1996 and 
1997. 

ODBCTEST is freeware. 

Disclaimer: If you use this software, you and you alone carry the 
responsibility for errors and/or problems resulting from its use. 

16- and 32-bit versions 
========================

There exists a 16 bit and a 32-bit version of the ODBCTEST program, 
named 



ODBCT16.EXE (16 bit version) 
ODBCT32.EXE (32 bit version) 

The two versions are identical except that the 16-bit version uses 
16-bit libraries and the 32-bit version uses 32-bit libraries. If you 
execute the program under Windows 95 or Windows NT, you can use either 
program. If you use the program under Windows 3.x, you have to use the 
16-bit version of the program. 

Note that the 16-bit version talks to 16 bit ODBC drivers while the 
32-bit version talks to 32-bit ODBC drivers. 

Using ODBCTEST 
===============

You activate ODBCTEST by simply double clicking its icon. The interface 
is MDI (multi document interface), so you can access and test several 
ODBC sources at the same time, one in each window. 

Before you can execute SQL statements against an ODBC source, you must 
connect to it. Use the SQL/Open ODBC connection menu item to perform the 
connect. 

Once the connection is established you use the SQL/Execute SQL commands 
menu item to enter and submit SQL commands against the data source. You 
can load and save the SQL statements in files via the buttons placed 
directly under the SQL source filename field. 

You can submit more than one SQL statement if you delimit them by 
semicolons. If semicolons are used they should be either the last 
nonblank character on the line or occupy an otherwise blank line by 
themselves. In addition, you may place SQL comment characters (double 
dash, --) in front of lines to have ODBCTEST ignore them. Tab characters 
are translated to blanks before the SQL statement is submitted to the 
host. 

If you execute several SQL statements and an error occurs you are shown 
the error message and you are asked if you want to cancel the command 
stream now or if you want to continue processing commands. 

Note that due to Windows peculiarities you have to use Ctrl+Enter to 
place newline characters in the SQL source window. 

Using the Table Lookup 
=======================

This function is new to version 2 of ODBCTEST. It allows you to browse 
through the list of available tables in your server and to create 
several types of SQL statements towards them. The SQL dialect may not 
match the requirements of your driver completely, but even so, this 
feature can substantially reduce the work needed to create new SQL 
statements from scratch - and it is very easy to use. 

Version 2.2 of ODBCTEST adds the ability to change the default data type 
names in the create statements and also allows you to save and restore 
the defaults from a file. If you repeatedly use the program to generate 
create statements for a database system with a deviating syntax this can 
save you some tedious editing work. 

Choosing ODBC drivers 
======================

The ODBC interface exists in several versions and each version 
implements several levels (core level, level 1 and level 2). This alone 
ensures that you cannot be sure that your ODBC driver will work with the 
ODBCTEST program, but to complicate matters further not all drivers are 
written exactly to specifications, and some drivers contain bugs. 

The ODBCTEST program is written to the ODBC version 2 function level 2, 
but it does not by far use all functions in the interface, so drivers 
implementing a lower level may still work. Sometimes this may result in 
irrelevant error messages. 

To summarize: you should always test to see if a driver actually works 
with the software mix you are going to use. Do not take the driver 
supplier's word for it. 

We have tested ODBCTEST against several ODBC drivers, and our general 
impression is that the drivers from the major suppliers work just fine. 
When it comes to drivers for less popular systems, you just have to try 
them out. 

Talking to the author 
======================

You can reach me at my E-mail address: jorgengros@cybernet.dk, put 
please remember that this is a freeware program given to you as-is. 
While I would love to hear from you, I may find it difficult to take 
time out to answer all mail, so don't be disappointed if you don't get 
an answer. 
