Database On-Demand overview

Database On-Demand is a Java applet that performs SQL requests through a JDBC driver. Some Database On-Demand features are:

• A wizard-like interface to aid in constructing SQL or File Upload statements.
• Executable SQL statements, and results that can either be displayed on screen or saved to a file in various formats. Supported formats are:
• ASCII text
• Comma-separated values (CSV)
• Lotus 1-2-3 (WK1)
• Microsoft Excel 3.0 and 4.0 (BIFF3 and BIFF4)
• HTML
• Executable File Upload statements that upload data read from client files to the host database. Supported file formats are:
• ASCII text
• Comma-separated values (CSV)
• Lotus 1-2-3 (WK1)
• Microsoft Excel 3.0 and 4.0 (BIFF3 and BIFF4)
• Statements can be saved for later use. These statements can then be distributed to other Host On-Demand users or groups of users by the administrator.
• The administrator can control Database On-Demand behavior and configuration for a user or a group of users.
• Configuration, administration and data are stored and managed on the server. The administrator does not need to install or configure at a user's workstation.
• The iSeries JDBC driver is shipped and packaged with Database On-Demand. Other user-installed JDBC drivers can also be used.

If you use a proxy server to connect to an iSeries and you use the Download client, you can decrease the download time when loading the Database On-Demand applet. To do that, edit the CommonJars.js file and replace hoddba.jar with hodpxdba.jar.

This smaller jar file contains only the classes needed for running Database On-Demand when connecting through a proxy server.

Example uses of Database On-Demand

Dynamic queries

Database On-Demand can be used as a dynamic query tool. Without knowing SQL, you can use the SQL statement builder to create an SQL statement or to modify an existing SQL statement. The statement can then be executed or saved for later use.

Saved SQL and File Upload statements

Saved SQL and File Upload statements can be distributed to a user or a group of users. You can simply select the saved SQL or File Upload statement you want to run, then click Run to view the results.

File download

Query results can be saved in many file formats and later imported into your personal productivity program, such as a spread sheet or word processor.

File Upload

Files created from many different formats can be loaded into a host database.

Web page publishing

Database On-Demand supports the writing of query results in HTML using an HTML template file. A template is an HTML document that contains special tags indicating where the query results should be imbedded. The resulting Web page contains everything in the template file, including the query results in the specified location.

Security

Applets running under browsers have limited access to system resources, such as local file access and network access. Database On-Demand requests special permissions from the browser to perform these operations. Browsers display a window asking you to grant or deny these requests. If you deny the request, the applet is not granted the privilege, and the operation fails. Therefore, you have control over what the applet can do from your system.

Using other JDBC drivers

Other JDBC drivers can be used with Database On-Demand; however, due to some browser security restrictions, these conditions apply:

• JDBC drivers that access data locally will not work with Database On-Demand.
• Network JDBC drivers work with Database On-Demand only if the database resides on the same server as the Web server serving the Database On-Demand Web page and applet.

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