KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub
Q219077: INF: Configuring Data Sources for the Microsoft OLE DB Provider

Article: Q219077
Product(s): Microsoft SNA Server
Version(s): WINDOWS:4.0 SP2
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 19-JUL-2001

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft OLE DB Provider for AS/400 and VSAM, version 4.0 SP2 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY
=======

This article provides information on the following topics:

  Overview of the Microsoft OLE DB Provider for AS/400 and VSAM
  OLE DB Data Links
  Adding or Configuring a Data Link
  Browsing OLE DB Data Sources
  Configuring Data Links

MORE INFORMATION
================

Overview of the Microsoft OLE DB Provider for AS/400 and VSAM
-------------------------------------------------------------

To use Microsoft OLE DB Provider for AS/400 and VSAM with an OLE DB consumer
application, you must either:

- Create a Microsoft data link file (.UDL) and call this from your
  application.

  -or-

- Call the provider using a connection string that includes the provider name.

Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) 2.0 and later include Data Links, a
generic method for managing and loading connections to OLE DB data sources. Data
Links also support finding and persisting connections to OLE DB data sources.

If you are accessing VSAM data sets, then after configuring a Data Link, you must
configure host data descriptions using the SNA Data Descriptions Utility. See
the online Help accessible through the utility for additional information on
configuring data descriptions and creating host column description (HCD) files.
For additional information on using UDLs, as well as a list of supported OLE DB
initialization properties and ADO connection string arguments, see "Using the
OLE DB Provider for AS/400 and VSAM" in the SNA Server SDK online documentation
or the SNA Data Descriptions Utility online Help under the topic: "Configuring a
data source for OLE DB Provider for AS/400 and VSAM."

OLE DB Data Links
-----------------

You must configure data source information for each AS/400 or mainframe system
data source object that is to be accessed using OLE DB Provider for AS/400 and
VSAM. The default parameters for OLE DB Provider for AS/400 and VSAM are used
only when these parameters are not configured for each data source.

Microsoft Data Links provides a uniform method for creating file-persistent OLE
DB data source object definitions in the form of Universal Data Link (UDL)
files. Applications, such as the RowsetViewer sample included with the SNA
Server SDK, can open created UDL files and pass the stored initialization string
to OLE DB Provider for AS/400 and VSAM at run time.

Adding or Configuring a Data Link
---------------------------------

You must create a Data Link to configure parameters for your OLE DB data source.
You can create a new Data Link by clicking the shortcut in the SNA Server
program folder. The properties of a Data Links file can be edited by opening the
file from Windows Explorer. To edit the Data Links file:

For Windows NT:

1. From the Start menu, select the Microsoft SNA Server program group.

2. Select the Data Access program group.

3. Select New OLE DB Data Source. The Data Link Properties page appears.

4. Configure the data source information for the selected provider. Click Help
  for more information.

5. Click OK to save the Data Link.

For Windows 95/98:

1. From the Start menu, select the Microsoft SNA Server program group.

2. Select the Data Access program group.

3. Select New OLE DB Data Source. The Data Link Properties page appears.

4. Configure the data source information for the selected provider. Click Help
  for more information.

5. Click OK to save the Data Link.

By default, Data Links are created in the Program Files\Common Files\System\OLE
DB\Data Links folder. However, you can create a Data Link in any location by
opening the target folder, selecting New Microsoft Data Link from the File menu,
and configuring the Data Link Properties page.

Browsing OLE DB Data Sources
----------------------------

By default, Data Links are created in the Program Files\Common Files\System\OLE
DB\Data Links folder. A shortcut is provided in the Microsoft SNA Server program
group. To browse the data sources:

1. From the Start menu, select the Microsoft SNA Server program group.

2. Select the Data Access program group.

3. Select Browse OLE DB Data Source. The list of Data Links saved in the default
  location is displayed.

Configuring Data Links
----------------------

The Provider tab allows you to select the OLE DB provider (the provider name
string) to be used in this UDL file from a list of possible OLE DB providers.
Choose Microsoft OLE DB Provider for AS/400 and VSAM.

The Connection tab allows you to configure the basic properties required to
connect to a data source. For OLE DB Provider for AS/400 and VSAM, the
connection properties include the following values:

  Data Source: The data source is an optional parameter that can be used to
  describe the data source. When the Data Links configuration program is loaded
  from the SNA Server program folder, the Data Source field is required. This
  field is used to name the UDL file, which is stored in the Program
  Files\Common Files\System\OLE DB\Data directory.

  Location: The remote database name required for connecting to OS/400 systems.
  This parameter is not used when connecting to a mainframe system. In OS/400,
  this property is referred to as RDBNAM. The RDBNAM value can be determined by
  invoking the WRKRDBDIRE command from the console to the OS/400 system. If
  there is no RDBNAM value, then one can be created using the Add option.

  User name: A valid user name is normally required to access data sources on a
  host computer.

  Password: A valid password is normally required to access data sources on a
  host computer. Optionally, you can choose to save the password in the UDL
  file by selecting the "Allow saving password" check box.

  WARNING: This option persists the authentication information in plain text
  within the UDL file.

The Connection tab also includes a Test Connection button that can be used to
test the connection parameters. The connection can only be tested after all of
the required parameters are entered. When you click this button, a session is
established to the host computer using OLE DB Provider for AS/400 and VSAM.

The Advanced tab exposes OLE DB standard properties. For OLE DB Provider for
AS/400 and VSAM, the advanced properties include the following values:

  Access permissions: The mode property is used to set the access permissions
  on the data source object. As implemented by the OLE DB Provider for AS/400
  and VSAM, the mode applies to host file locks; it does not apply to record
  locks. The default mode for the OLE DB Provider for AS/400 and VSAM is
  ReadWrite.

  Connection Timeout: The amount of time (in seconds) to wait for initialization
  to complete. This parameter is not currently supported by the OLE DB Provider
  and defaults to 0.

  Impersonation Level: The level of impersonation that the server is allowed to
  use when impersonating the client. The provider default value is
  Impersonate.

  Protection Level: The OLE DB Provider for AS/400 and VSAM does not support
  this value.

The All tab allows you to configure additional properties used to connect to a
data source. Some of the properties in the All tab are required. These
properties can be edited by selecting a property from the displayed list, and
clicking Edit Value. For Microsoft OLE DB Provider for AS/400 and VSAM, these
properties include the following values:

  APPC Local LU Alias: The name of the local LU alias configured in the SNA
  server.

  APPC Mode Name:The APPC mode that must be set to a value that matches the host
  configuration and SNA server configuration. Legal values for the APPC mode
  include QPCSUPP (common system default), #INTER (interactive), #INTERSC
  (interactive with minimal routing security), #BATCH (batch), #BATCHSC (batch
  with minimal routing security), and custom modes. The following modes that
  support bi-directional LZ89 compression are also legal: #INTERC
  (interactive), INTERCS (interactive), BATCHC (batch), and BATCHCS (batch).

  APPC Remote LU Alias: The name of the remote LU alias configured in the SNA
  server.

  Cache Authentication: The provider's data source object or enumerator is
  allowed to cache sensitive authentication information such as a password in
  an internal cache. The default for this property is False.

  Default Library: The default AS/400 library to be accessed. This parameter is
  not required for mainframe access and is optional when connecting to AS/400
  files.

  Encrypt Password: The OLE DB Provider for AS/400 and VSAM does not support
  this value.

  Extended Properties: A method to specify additional provider-specific
  properties. Properties passed using this parameter should be delimited by
  semicolons and will be interpreted by the provider's underlying network
  client.

  Host CCSID: The character code set identifier (CCSID) matching the data as
  represented on the host computer. This parameter defaults to U.S./Canada
  (37). The CCSID property is required when processing binary data as character
  data. Unless the Process Binary as Character value is set, character data is
  converted based on the host column CCSID and default ANSI code page.

  Host Column Description File: The fully qualified file name of the DDM host
  column description (HCD) file, for example: C:\Program
  Files\SNA\System\Sample.hcd. This parameter can be a UNC string up to 256
  characters. This property is required when connecting to a mainframe system
  and is optional when connecting to OS/400.

  Impersonation Level: The level of impersonation that the server is allowed to
  use when impersonating the client. The provider default value is
  Impersonate.

  Integrated Security: The OLE DB Provider for AS/400 and VSAM does not support
  this value.

  Locale Identifier: The OLE DB Provider for AS/400 and VSAM does not use this
  value.

  Mask Password: The OLE DB Provider for AS/400 and VSAM does not support this
  value.

  Network Address: This property is used to locate the target host computer,
  specifically the TCP/IP address or TCP/IP host name/alias associated with the
  DDM port. The network address is required when connecting using TCP/IP.
  Network Port: This property is used to locate the target DDM service access
  port when connecting using TCP/IP. The default is the well-known DDM port
  address of 446.

  Network Transport Library: The network transport dynamic link library property
  designates whether the provider connects with SNA LU6.2 or TCP/IP. The
  default value is SNA. If TCP/IP is selected, then values for Network Address
  and Network Port are required. If the default SNA is selected, then values
  for APPC Local LU Alias, APPC Mode Name, and APPC Remote LU Alias are
  required. TCP/IP connectivity to the mainframe is not supported.

  PC Code Page: This property is required when processing binary data as
  character data. Unless the Process Binary as Character value is set,
  character data is converted based on the default ANSI code page configured in
  Windows. This parameter defaults to Latin 1 (1252).

  Persist Security Info: Optionally, you can choose to save the password in the
  UDL file by selecting the Allow saving password check box.

  WARNING: This option persists the authentication information in plain text
  within the UDL file.

  Process Binary as Character: This option treats binary (CCSID 65535) data type
  fields as character data type fields on a per-data source basis. The Host
  CCSID and PC Code Page values are required input and output parameters.

  Protection Level: The OLE DB Provider for AS/400 and VSAM does not support
  this value.

  Repair Host Keys: This property provides for repair of invalid key offsets
  received from OS/400 when keys have been defined using the DDS "RENAME"
  clause. The default value is False.

  Strict Validation: The default value is False.

Additional query words: MVS OS/390 OS/400

======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbAudDeveloper kbOLEDBSearch kbOLEDBProvAS400VSAM400SP2 kbOLEDBProvSearch
Version           : WINDOWS:4.0 SP2
Issue type        : kbinfo

=============================================================================
THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.