Problem with DBI ODBC connection

[DrDoc]

I need to connect to a database over the network, but I can't seem to get it to work.

Let's say that the name of the database is 'foobar', located in '\\server\path\to\db\'... What's my DBI->connect supposed to look like?

I've looked at the DBI docs... but I'm utterly confused :)

I got sent a document with the query and everything (they used to run it in Excel) and the connection part looks something like this:
DSN=foobar;Directory=L:\path\to\db;SERVER=NotTheServer

...if that helps :)

[coopster]

It's been awhile, but I believe you basically have two options when using the DBD::ODBC DBI interface:

1. dbi:ODBC:odbc_dsn
   
2. dbi:ODBC:driver= Microsoft Access Driver (*.mdb);dbq=\\server\path\to\db\access.mdb

where

odbc_dsn

is the ODBC Data Source Name (a name used to refer to a set of driver-specific connection parameters which are typically the ODBC driver to use, the database name, etc.).

It's much easier to use the MS ODBC32 wizard found in the Control Panel to setup the DSN and use rather than the second option which requires you to put together the entire connection string.

So, using the DSN information they gave you, your connection would be:

my $dbh = DBI->connect("dbi:ODBC:foobar")  
 or die "Cannot connect at this time: $DBI::errstr\n"; 

[DrDoc]

The problem is that I keep getting "connection failed" error messages all the time...
I don't know if it's related to the syntax or not.

[DrDoc]

The database is a MAS90 (or, MAS200) db, if that makes a difference?

[coopster]

Can you open a table in the database using a program (such as Access or Excel) on the computer you are using to make the connection via the ODBC DSN created on that machine?

[DrDoc]

Still no go...

Anyone who has worked with DBI::ODBC connections to MAS90 (SOTAMAS90) before?
I think I have it all figured out, except for which driver to use :(