ODBC Functions
PHP Manual

odbc_connect

Connect to a datasource

Description

Odbc\Connectionfalse odbc_connect(
    string $dsn,
    stringnull $user = null,
    stringnull $password = null,
    int $cursor_option = SQL_CUR_USE_DRIVER
)

The connection id returned by this functions is needed by other ODBC functions. You can have multiple connections open at once as long as they either use different db or different credentials.

With some ODBC drivers, executing a complex stored procedure may fail with an error similar to: "Cannot open a cursor on a stored procedure that has anything other than a single select statement in it". Using SQL_CUR_USE_ODBC may avoid that error. Also, some drivers don't support the optional row_number parameter in odbc_fetch_row. SQL_CUR_USE_ODBC might help in that case, too.

Parameters

dsn

The database source name for the connection. Alternatively, a DSN-less connection string can be used.

user

The username. This parameter is ignored if dsn contains uid. To connect without specifying a user, use null.

password

The password. This parameter is ignored if dsn contains pwd. To connect without specifying a password, use null.

cursor_option

This sets the type of cursor to be used for this connection. This parameter is not normally needed, but can be useful for working around problems with some ODBC drivers.

The following constants are defined for cursortype:

  • SQL_CUR_USE_IF_NEEDED
  • SQL_CUR_USE_ODBC
  • SQL_CUR_USE_DRIVER

Return Values

Returns an ODBC connection, or false on failure.

Changelog

Version Description
8.4.0 odbc expects an Odbc\Connection instance now; previously, a resource was expected.
8.4.0 This function returns a Odbc\Connection instance now; previously, a resource was returned.
8.4.0 user and password are now nullable, they are now also optional and default to null.
8.4.0 Previously, using an empty string for password would not include pwd in the generated connection string for dsn. It is now generated to include a pwd which has an empty string as its value. To restore the previous behaviour password can now be set to null.
8.4.0 Previously, if dsn contained uid or pwd both user and password parameters were ignored. Now user is only ignored if dsn contains uid, and password is only ignored if dsn contains pwd.

Examples

Example #1 DSN-less connections

<?php
// Microsoft SQL Server using the SQL Native Client 10.0 ODBC Driver - allows connection to SQL 7, 2000, 2005 and 2008
$connection = odbc_connect("Driver={SQL Server Native Client 10.0};Server=$server;Database=$database;", $user, $password);

// Microsoft Access
$connection = odbc_connect("Driver={Microsoft Access Driver (*.mdb)};Dbq=$mdbFilename", $user, $password);

// Microsoft Excel
$excelFile = realpath('C:/ExcelData.xls');
$excelDir = dirname($excelFile);
$connection = odbc_connect("Driver={Microsoft Excel Driver (*.xls)};DriverId=790;Dbq=$excelFile;DefaultDir=$excelDir" , '', '');
?>

See Also

  • For persistent connections: odbc_pconnect