> > Fair enough comments on using a driver manager. > > I had tried to get iODBC up, but it barfed on a library I > couldn't track down - at run time, not compile/link time. I > started on unixODBC too, but then concluded I didn't want to > confuse myself - or it, or iODBC - by installing its > libraries over the iODBC libraries, so I need to go back to > the drawing board and rebuild either or both DMs to install > in separate versioned directories (/usr/iodbc/v3.0.6/ and > /usr/unixODBC/v2.2.3, I think), reinstall, and generally sort > out. I have a nasty feeling that part of my problem with > iODBC may be that I declined to build the GUI stuff > -- Solaris doesn't have the pre-requisites like Gtk installed > -- yet the library does not work properly without it. > Untested hypothesis, but the libiodbcadm was missing at run-time. > > So, in the interests of expediency, I used the surrogate DM > that is distributed with Informix CLI - knowing it was less > than ideal but being unwilling to spend very much longer on > getting set up. > > I've just re-remembered why I find ODBC/CLI on Unix so > painful! And that is in no sense a comment on DBD::ODBC - > just on ODBC in general on Unix. I assume it is easier to > deal with on MS platforms; at least, there's a standard ODBC > driver manager!
Believe me -- I understand. I agree with you whole heartedly. ODBC *is* much simpler under Win32, from the driver manager and quantity of drivers perspective -- but not necessarily quality of drivers. ODBC on Unix has gotten much better though, over the past few years. For a lot of the reasons you touch upon, I've setup only one DM and am sticking with it. I use unixODBC, now, mostly because of the DBI mailing list participation of people like Martin Evans and Nick Gorham -- not to mention the support, guidance and help that Martin has provided with DBD::ODBC. (I just noticed that while I was working on this, Martin has already provided some input to your e-mail...that's exactly why I switched -- I knew if I had issues, I'd have someone around to help) Regards, Jeff
