APPX ODBC Installations Instructions

This page provides instructions for installing APPX ODBC 5.


Overview

APPX ODBC is used by APPX customers to gain access to APPX data from external products, such as Crystal Reports or Excel. Installation of APPX ODBC 5 is accomplished by simply following the steps outlined below. APPX ODBC 5 is a Windows only product for now.

APPX ODBC 5 is a new product compared to earlier versions of APPX ODBC. There is no upgrade, just uninstall the older version prior to installing the new version.


AppxODBC requires 3 components to work now. The Appx FMS Server, The Appx ODBC Data Gateway, and the Appx ODBC Driver. The Appx FMS server should already be installed and running. Step 2 is to install the Appx ODBC Data Gateway, then the Appx ODBC Driver + ASQL. Run ASQL to import Apppx dictionaries. Then on non-admin PCs install the Appx ODBC Driver (minus ASQL). Here's what each installer does do...

AppxODBCserver_5_0_2_windows.exe

This will install the "Appx ODBC Data Gateway Service" and supporting files. This service runs listening on TCP port 1990 for connections from the Appx ODBC Driver installed on someone's desktop. The Data Gateway contains one or more database directories each with it's own schemas imported via ASQL and each having its own appx.env file that tells it the host and port of the Appx FMS Server for that database. By default the installer creates a default database called "appx". This creates a directory tree in the server install directory called "appx.dbs". That directory contains all the schema files for database "appx" as well as its appx.env file.

When a connection request is received from a desktop driver it takes the database from the request, "appx" by default, reads the appx.env file, and attempts to start up an FMS connection to that Appx host using the login and password received from the desktop driver. If authentication is successful then it starts brokering SQL requests from the driver to the FMS server. You have a new Data Gateway task for each driver connection. Each Data Gateway task creates its own FMS connection to the Appx server.

The installer should create everything needed in the way of the "appx" database, the appx.env file, and configure and start the service task. Upon completion of the installer the Appx ODBC Data Gateway should be ready for connections. This installer does not install an Appx ODBC driver or ASQL application. Nothing on this server is visibly runnable other than you can see that the service is running and you can look at the appx.env file to see that it looks right.

AppxODBCdriver_5_0_2_windows.exe

This will install the desktop Appx ODBC Driver. This is what WinSQL and other desktop application will use to connect to the Appx ODBC Data Gateway. During the install it will create a default System DSN using the driver and setting up the DSN to properly connect to the Appx ODBC Data Gateway. Once this installer is done the driver should be installed and there should be a functioning System DSN you can use to request data. That can't happen until ASQL has been run to import Appx data dictionaries into the Data Gateway database schemas. ASQL is not included in this installer for security reasons. When you use the driver to get data the user and password you use is your Appx user and password for the Appx server on the back end of the FMS connection between the Appx ODBC Data Gateway and the Appx FMS server.

AppxODBCdriver+ASQL_5_0_2_windows.exe

This is the same as the other driver installer except that it does include ASQL. This is what administrators will install when they will be manipulating the Data Gateway schemas and importing Appx dictionaries.

Disclaimer

APPX ODBC 5 includes many new features and bug fixes. As always, before upgrading your APPX production system, you are strongly encouraged to install APPX ODBC 5 into a test environment where you can verify the compatibility of your applications. APPX ODBC 5 has been thoroughly tested but, because of the complexity of computer software, there will certainly be bugs and some ODBC clients that will not be able to connect to the ODBC server. Consequently, there is no guarantee that your applications will be completely compatible with this significant new release. It is your responsibility to test your applications to ensure that they are compatible with this new release of APPX ODBC and to make any changes that may be necessary to maintain compatibility. Finally, before upgrading your production system, make a backup of your applications and your data. Your computer software and your data are important assets of your organization. Please be prudent and take the steps needed to protect this important investment.

Known Issues:

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APPX ODBC Server and Driver Installation Instructions

Windows Server/XP/Vista/Win 7

New Installation

We're going to install APPX ODBC Server on a Windows Server 2008 64 bit. APPX 5.0.2 is already installed on a Windows Server 2003 32 bit server and configured to listen on TCP port 8063. You should keep the versions the same between APPX ODBC and APPX Server, otherwise you could end up with performance issues or failure to connect errors. APPX ODBC Server listens on TCP port 1990. Let's make sure that that TCP port is available with the OS netstat command line tool.

Verify TCP Port 1990 is open via Netstat Command

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The port is available as you can see in the image above.

Download and run the APPX ODBC Server installation file.

Let's download the APPX ODBC Server and start the installation.

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-- JoeOrtagus - 2010-04-05


This topic: Main > APPX500 > APPXODBCInstallationInstructions
Topic revision: r6 - 2010-06-23 - JoeOrtagus
 
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