FreeTDS Development Group

["Lowden, James K" <LowdenJK AT bernstein.com>]

> From: Garrett Goebel [mailto:garrett AT scriptpro.com]
> Sent: March 11, 2003 12:12 PM
> 
> From: Lowden, James K [mailto:LowdenJK AT bernstein.com]
> > > From: Peter Milburn [mailto:peterm AT sportodds.com]
> > > 
> > > We are currently using freetds with the sybase drivers to 
> > > connect to MS SQL
> > > with php. We are now trying to do the same in perl. I have 
> > > tried  a few ways, but have had no luck. 
> > 
> > Best results with Perl would be from the FreeTDS 0.61 release
> > and DBD::Sybase 0.95, using ct-lib.  That combination will 
> > connect to Microsoft databases, too.  
> 
> on perl-DBI-Dev, Michael Peppler wrote:
> > 
> > However, due to FreeTDS not implementing all of the Sybase
> > Client Library API, and to the fact that not all of the TDS
> > protocol supported by MS-SQL has been decoded there are a
> > number of things in DBD::Sybase that fail when used with
> > FreeTDS. 

Absolutely true.  

> Limiting myself to just MSSQL oddities documented in DBD::Sybase:
> o  you're required to use TDS 4.2 (ascii only)

No.  Most people will be happier using TDS 7.0/8.0 connecting to Microsoft
servers.  

> o  no support for placeholders

Correct.  I believe Bill Thompson plans to fill that gap this year.  

> o  no inout params

True.  Mark Lilback added ct-lib parameter support for TDS 5.0 (Sybase) last
week.  He said he planned to add TDS 7.0/8.0 later.  

> Aren't these inherent limitations of using ct-lib to connect 
> to MSSQL? 

Not at all.  ct-lib is an API; it uses the TDS protocol to communicate to
the server.  FreeTDS's implementation of ct-lib does not distinguish between
server vendors.  With the work being done on our ct-lib, I think it's
entirely possible that before the year is out, FreeTDS will become a
transparent replacement for Sybase's libraries for DBD::Sybase.  

> Will there ever be a DBD::Sybase that allows you to use 
> placeholders, etc. with MSSQL?

Depending on the enthusiasm and/or motivation, pecuniary and otherwise, of
the developers: yes or no.  Time and talent are the key ingredients.  

> And as DBD::FreeTDS appears to be dormant, I would think 
> DBD::ODBC would be preferred...

DBD::FreeTDS hasn't been updated in years, and is consequently far behind.
The capabilities DBD::ODBC depend on the driver.  FreeTDS's ODBC driver has
placeholder and parameter support, which is helpful if you need it.  It's
gotten a lot better in the last couple of years, thanks mostly to Frediano.
But DBD::Sybase is still the most mature route for connecting Perl to
Microsoft servers.  

--jkl







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