Configuration Files

~/.odbc.ini contains user-specified access information for the psqlODBC driver. The file uses conventions typical for Windows Registry files, but despite this restriction can be made to work.

The .odbc.ini file has three required sections. The first is [ODBC Data Sources] which is a list of arbitrary names and descriptions for each database you wish to access. The second required section is the Data Source Specification and there will be one of these sections for each database. Each section must be labeled with the name given in [ODBC Data Sources] and must contain the following entries:

Driver = POSTGRESDIR/lib/libpsqlodbc.so
Database=DatabaseName
Servername=localhost
Port=5432

Tip: Remember that the Postgres database name is usually a single word, without path names of any sort. The Postgres server manages the actual access to the database, and you need only specify the name from the client.

Other entries may be inserted to control the format of the display. The third required section is [ODBC] which must contain the InstallDir keyword and which may contain other options.

Here is an example .odbc.ini file, showing access information for three databases:

[ODBC Data Sources]
DataEntry = Read/Write Database
QueryOnly = Read-only Database
Test = Debugging Database
Default = Postgres Stripped

[DataEntry]
ReadOnly = 0
Servername = localhost
Database = Sales

[QueryOnly]
ReadOnly = 1
Servername = localhost
Database = Sales

[Test]
Debug = 1
CommLog = 1
ReadOnly = 0
Servername = localhost
Username = tgl
Password = "no$way"
Port = 5432
Database = test

[Default]
Servername = localhost
Database = tgl
Driver = /opt/postgres/current/lib/libpsqlodbc.so

[ODBC]
InstallDir = /opt/applix/axdata/axshlib