Quick Beginnings for DB2 Connect

Running CLI/ODBC Programs

The DB2 Call Level Interface (CLI) run-time environment and the DB2 CLI/ODBC driver are included with DB2 clients as optional components during install.

This support enables applications developed using ODBC and DB2 CLI APIs to work with any DB2 server. DB2 CLI application development support is provided by the DB2 Software Developer's Kit (DB2 SDK) which is packaged with your DB2 server.

Before DB2 CLI or ODBC applications can access DB2, the DB2 CLI packages must be bound on the server. Although this will occur automatically on the first connection if the user has the required authority to bind the packages, it is recommended that the administrator do this first with each version of the client on each platform that will access the server. See Binding Database Utilities for specific details.

The following general steps are required on the client system to give DB2 CLI and ODBC applications access to DB2 databases. These instructions assume that you have successfully connected to DB2 using a valid user ID and password. Depending on the platform many of these steps are automatic. For complete details, see the section that deals specifically with your platform.

Step  1.
Use the Client Configuration Assistant (CCA) to add the database (if you have separate client and server machines) so that its instances and databases can be made known to the Control Center, then add the instances and databases for that system. (Your local system is represented by Local icon.) If you do not have access to this program you can use the catalog command in the command line processor.
Step  2.
On all platforms other than OS/2 the DB2 CLI/ODBC driver is an optional component during the DB2 client install. Be sure it is selected at that point. On OS/2 you must use the Install ODBC Driver icon to install both the DB2 CLI/ODBC driver and the ODBC driver manager.
Step  3.
To access the DB2 database from ODBC:

The ODBC Driver Manager (From Microsoft or other vendor) must already be installed (this is done by default during the installation of DB2 only on 32-bit Windows systems).
The DB2 databases must be registered as ODBC data sources. The ODBC driver manager does not read the DB2 catalog information; instead it references its own list of data sources.
If a DB2 table does not have a unique index then many ODBC applications will open it as read-only. A unique index should be created for each DB2 table that is to be updated by an ODBC application. Refer to the CREATE INDEX statement in the SQL Reference. Using the Control Center you would alter the settings of the table, then select the Primary Key tab and move one or more columns from the available columns list over to the primary key columns list. Any column you select as part of the primary key must be defined as NOT NULL.

Step  4.
If necessary, you can set various CLI/ODBC Configuration Keywords to modify the behavior of DB2 CLI/ODBC and the applications using it.

If you followed the above steps to install ODBC support, and added DB2 databases as ODBC data sources, your ODBC applications will now be able to access them.

Platform Specific Details for CLI/ODBC Access

The platform specific details on how to give DB2 CLI and ODBC applications access to DB2 are divided into the following categories:

Windows 32-bit operating systems Client Access to DB2 using CLI/ODBC
OS/2 Client Access to DB2 using CLI/ODBC

Windows 32-bit operating systems Client Access to DB2 using CLI/ODBC

Before DB2 CLI and ODBC applications can successfully access a DB2 database from a Windows client, perform the following steps on the client system:

Step  1.
The DB2 database (and node if the database is remote) must be cataloged. To do so, use the CCA (or the command line processor).
For more information refer to the on-line help in the CCA (or the CATALOG DATABASE and CATALOG NODE commands in the Command Reference).
Step  2.
Verify that the Microsoft ODBC Driver Manager and the DB2 CLI/ODBC driver are installed. On Windows 32-bit operating systems they are both installed with DB2 unless the ODBC component is manually unselected during the install.
To verify that they both exist on the machine:

Run the Microsoft ODBC Administrator from the icon in the Control Panel, or issue the appropriate command from the command line: odbcad32.exe.
Click on the ODBC Drivers tab.
Verify that "IBM DB2 ODBC DRIVER" is shown in the list.

If either the Microsoft ODBC Driver Manager or the IBM DB2 CLI/ODBC driver is not installed, then rerun the DB2 install and select the ODBC component on Windows 32-bit operating systems.
Step  3.
Register the DB2 database with the ODBC driver manager as a data source. On Windows 32-bit operating systems you can make the data source available to all users of the system (a system data source), or only the current user (a user data source). Use either of these methods to add the data source:

Using the CCA:

Select the DB2 database alias that you want to add as a data source.
Click on the Properties push button. The Database Properties window opens.
Select the Register this database for ODBC check box.
On Windows 32-bit operating systems you can use the radio buttons to add the data source as either a user or system data source.

Using the Microsoft 32-bit ODBC Administration tool, which you can access from the icon in the Control Panel or by running odbcad32.exe from the command line:

On Windows 32-bit operating systems the list of user data sources appears by default. If you want to add a system data source click on the System DSN button, or the System DSN tab (depending on the platform).
Click on the Add push button.
Double-click on the IBM DB2 ODBC Driver in the list.
Select the DB2 database to add and click on OK.

On Windows 32-bit operating systems there is a command that can be issued in the command line processor to register the DB2 database with the ODBC driver manager as a data source. An administrator could create a command line processor script to register the required databases. This script could then be run on all of the machines that require access to the DB2 databases through ODBC.
The Command Reference contains more information on the CATALOG command:
CATALOG [ user | system ] ODBC DATA SOURCE

Step  4.
Configure the DB2 CLI/ODBC driver using the CCA: (Optional)

Select the DB2 database alias you want to configure.
Click on the Properties push button. The Database Properties window opens.
Click on the Settings push button. The CLI/ODBC Settings window opens.
Click on the Advanced push button. You can set the configuration keywords in the window that opens. These keywords are associated with the database alias name, and affect all DB2 CLI/ODBC applications that access the database. The online help explains all of the keywords, as does an appendix in the Installation and Configuration Supplement online manual.

Step  5.
If you have installed ODBC access (as described above), you can now access DB2 data using ODBC applications. Start the ODBC application and go to the Open window. Select the ODBC databases file type. The DB2 databases that you added as ODBC data sources will be selectable from the list. Many ODBC applications will open the table as read-only unless a unique index exists.

OS/2 Client Access to DB2 using CLI/ODBC

Before DB2 CLI and ODBC applications can successfully access a DB2 database from an OS/2 client, perform the following steps on the client system:

The DB2 database (and node if the database is remote) must be cataloged. To do so, use the CCA (or the command line processor).
For more information see the on-line help in the CCA
If you are using ODBC applications to access DB2 data, perform the following steps. (If you are using only CLI applications, skip this step and go to the next step.)
1. Check that there is an ODBC Driver Manager installed. The ODBC Driver Manager is not installed with DB2; we suggest you use the Driver Manager that was shipped with your ODBC application. Also ensure that the DB2 CLI/ODBC driver is installed:
  1. Run the ODBC Administration tool as described in its documentation. This is usually done in one of two ways:
    - Double-click on the ODBC Folder in OS/2, and double-click on the ODBC Administrator icon.
    - Run odbcadm.exe from the command line.
    The Data Sources window opens.
  2. Click on the Drivers push button. The Drivers window opens.
  3. Verify that "IBM DB2 ODBC DRIVER" is shown in the list.
  If the ODBC Driver Manager is not installed then follow the installation instructions that came with your ODBC application. If the IBM DB2 CLI/ODBC driver is not installed then double-click on the Install ODBC Driver icon in the DB2 folder to install the DB2 CLI/ODBC driver.
2. Register the DB2 database with the ODBC driver manager as a data source using either of these methods:
  - Using the CCA:
    1. Select the DB2 database alias that you want to add as a data source.
    2. Click on the Properties push button.
    3. Select the Register this database for ODBC check box.
  - Using the ODBC Driver Manager:
    1. Run the ODBC Driver Manager, as described in its documentation. This is usually done in one of two ways:
      - Double-click on the ODBC Folder in OS/2, and double-click on the ODBC Administrator icon.
      - Run odbcadm.exe from the command line.
    2. Click on the Add push button from the Data Sources window. The Add Data Source Window opens.
    3. Double-click on the IBM DB2 ODBC DRIVER in the list.
    4. Select the DB2 database to add and click on OK.
Configure the DB2 CLI/ODBC driver using the CCA: (Optional)
1. Select the DB2 database alias you want to configure.
2. Click on the Properties push button. The Database Properties window opens.
3. Click on the Settings push button. The CLI/ODBC Settings window opens.
4. Click on the Advanced push button. You can set the configuration keywords in the window that appears. These keywords are associated with the database alias name, and affect all DB2 CLI/ODBC applications that access the database. The online help explains all of the keywords, as does an appendix in the Installation and Configuration Supplement manual.
If you have installed ODBC access (as described above), you can now access DB2 data using ODBC applications. Start the ODBC application and go to the Open window. Select the ODBC databases file type. The DB2 databases that you added as ODBC data sources will be selectable from the list. Many ODBC applications will open the table as read-only unless a unique index exists.

Detailed Configuration Information

The section Platform Specific Details for CLI/ODBC Access should provide you with all of the information you require. Installation and Configuration Supplement includes additional information on setting up and using DB2 CLI and ODBC applications. (The online Installation and Configuration Supplement manual is located in the directory x:\doc\en\html, where x: is the letter that designates your CD-ROM and en is the two-character country code that represents your language, for example en for English.) This information is useful where DB2 tool support is not available, and for administrators who require more detailed information.

The following topics are covered in the Installation and Configuration Supplement online manual:

How to Bind the DB2 CLI/ODBC Driver to the Database
How to Set CLI/ODBC Configuration Keywords
Configuring db2cli.ini

[ Top of Page | Previous Page | Next Page | Table of Contents | Index ]

[ DB2 List of Books | Search the DB2 Books ]

Step 1.	Use the Client Configuration Assistant (CCA) to add the database (if you have separate client and server machines) so that its instances and databases can be made known to the Control Center, then add the instances and databases for that system. (Your local system is represented by Local icon.) If you do not have access to this program you can use the catalog command in the command line processor.
Step 2.	On all platforms other than OS/2 the DB2 CLI/ODBC driver is an optional component during the DB2 client install. Be sure it is selected at that point. On OS/2 you must use the Install ODBC Driver icon to install both the DB2 CLI/ODBC driver and the ODBC driver manager.
Step 3.	To access the DB2 database from ODBC: The ODBC Driver Manager (From Microsoft or other vendor) must already be installed (this is done by default during the installation of DB2 only on 32-bit Windows systems). The DB2 databases must be registered as ODBC data sources. The ODBC driver manager does not read the DB2 catalog information; instead it references its own list of data sources. If a DB2 table does not have a unique index then many ODBC applications will open it as read-only. A unique index should be created for each DB2 table that is to be updated by an ODBC application. Refer to the CREATE INDEX statement in the SQL Reference. Using the Control Center you would alter the settings of the table, then select the Primary Key tab and move one or more columns from the available columns list over to the primary key columns list. Any column you select as part of the primary key must be defined as NOT NULL.
Step 4.	If necessary, you can set various CLI/ODBC Configuration Keywords to modify the behavior of DB2 CLI/ODBC and the applications using it.