%META:TOPICPARENT{name="UDATroubleshootingAppProblems"}% = FAQ: Can I use OpenLink Drivers to connect to a FileMaker database? = We do not curently offer a driver for direct connections to FileMaker databases. Such a driver may be produced if and when FileMaker supplies the client API and/or networking components that we would need for its development. Currently, most users find that their best method of ODBC connections to FileMaker is use of the our [[https://uda.openlinksw.com/db-JDBC| ODBC Driver for JDBC Data Sources]] (also known as the "ODBC-JDBC Bridge") in conjunction with the JDBC Driver supplied by FileMaker, which is an OEMed multi-tier client for the DataDirect SequeLink product. //This is a suboptimal solution.// The DataDirect forums include discussion of some of the issues with this driver: [[http://forums.datadirect.com/ddforums/thread.jspa?threadID=511&tstart=0| Problem: DECIMALS are returned as java.lang. Double and BLOBS are returned as VARCHAR java.lang.String]]. To proceed with the connection described above, take the following action: # Obtain the JDBC Client Driver for FileMaker Pro ({{{sljc.jar}}}). This driver is included in the xDBC Plug-In installer. # Move the JDBC Client Driver into the /Library/Java/Extensions/ directory, or create an appropriate soft-link from there. This has the same effect as setting the $CLASSPATH environment variable (which is challenging to work with directly, on Mac OS X). # Install the xDBC Plug-In on your target FileMaker instance, and ensure that sharing via JDBC is enabled. Consult FileMaker documentation and support for explicit instructions. # Open a Terminal.app instance. # Use the {{{java -version}}} command to obtain your JRE version. For example: {{{ % java -version java version "1.4.1_01" Java(TM) 2 Runtime Environment, Standard Edition (build 1.4.1_01-69.1) Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.4.1_01-24, mixed mode) }}} # Use the java <classname> command to obtain your SequeLink driver version. For example: {{{ java com.ddtek.jdbc.sequelink.SequeLinkDriver [DataDirect][SequeLink JDBC Driver]Driver Version: 5.4.0034 }}} # Install our [[https://shop.openlinksw.com/license_generator/uda/?clientSelection=odbc&releaseVersionSelection=8.x&licenseFamilySelection=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.openlinksw.com%2Fontology%2Fsoftware%23JDBCBridge&licenseEngineSelection=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.openlinksw.com%2Fontology%2Fsoftware%23jdbc&driverEditionSelection=http%3A%2F%2Fdata.openlinksw.com%2Foplweb%2Fproduct_format%2Fst%23this&productSelection=http%3A%2F%2Fdata.openlinksw.com%2Foplweb%2Fproduct%2Fodbc-jdbc-bridge-st%23this&opsysFamilySelection=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.openlinksw.com%2Fontology%2Fsoftware%23MacOSX&opSystemSelection=http%3A%2F%2Fdata.openlinksw.com%2Foplweb%2Fopsys%2Fx86_64-apple-macosx10.7-64%23this&clientOSFamilySelection=selectMessage&clientOSSelection=selectMessage|Single-Tier ODBC Driver for JDBC Data Sources]] on the client machine. # You will receive a 14-day evaluation license for the ODBC-JDBC Bridge ({{{jdbc_lt.lic}}}) when you download the product. [[http://support.openlinksw.com/supportweb/ApplyingLicenseFiles| Follow the appropriate instructions]] to apply this license file. # Launch the **OpenLink ODBC Administrator.app** ({{{/Applications/Utilities/}}}). # Ensure that you have the classname for the FMPro JDBC Client Driver. This may be found in the `FileMaker ODBC and JDBC Developer's Guide`. At the time of writing, this classname is: {{{ com.ddtek.jdbc.sequelink.SequeLinkDriver }}} # Ensure that you have a functioning JDBC URL that connects to FileMaker via SequeLink. The full syntax for this URL is also discussed in the `FileMaker ODBC and JDBC Developer's Guide,` but the basic form is provided here for your convenience: {{{ jdbc:sequelink://<hostname>:<port>[;serverdatasource=databasename][;serverdataname=databasename][;DBUser=databaseusername[;DBPassword=databasepassword]] }}} # Pass the Java Classname and JDBC URL in the appropriate fields of your ODBC DSN. # Test your DSN. == Notes == * The {{{serverdatasource}}} and {{{serverdataname}}} keywords are not optional. Pass the same value to both keywords. * The {{{DBUser}}} and {{{DBPassword}}} keywords are optional in the JDBC URL, but if left out of the URL, these values //must// be passed through the ODBC Dialog. If no {{{DBUser}}} or {{{DBPassword}}} values are passed, the connection will fail. * Even if you have configured FMPro to require no password, you must still provide a value for this when prompted. You can generally pass an empty set of quotation marks, which FileMaker interprets as a NULL password and so permits the connection.