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freetds - Re: [freetds] FreeTDS as a data access API from OS X

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  • From: "James K. Lowden" <jklowden AT freetds.org>
  • To: FreeTDS Development Group <freetds AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [freetds] FreeTDS as a data access API from OS X
  • Date: Sun, 23 Aug 2009 17:57:28 -0400

Robert Mullen wrote:
> I have looked at the API
> documentation on FreeTDS.org and have seen the implementation of
> programs like TSQL but am still having problems with some of the
> functions. I wonder if maybe I am barking up the wrong tree by trying
> to code my framework in the same manner as something like TSQL as
> opposed to using the iODBC interface.

You can write your framework in terms of any API. I've written two; one
of them works with either db-lib or ODBC. I've never been tempted to
bypass the API layer.

You are perhaps unaware that libtds is simply a collection of functions
used to implement the client APIs. It's not a "finished" layer; writing
directly to it would only lead to tears and wouldn't be any more
efficient. You'd just end up implementing your own API layer anyway.

iODBC is a driver manager. While it's true that a DM implements some of
the ODBC API, most functions are implemented by the driver.

My complaint about ODBC -- and the reason I recommend db-lib, all things
equal -- is that ODBC, being a generic database API, tends to produce
generic error messages. DB-Library on the other hand was written
specifically for SQL Server and has no "driver", and consequently its
messages tend to be clearer. To see what I mean, compare the messages in
src/odbc/error.c and src/dblib/dblib.c.

"Invalid cursor state". I always love that one.

HTH.

--jkl




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