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      ODBTP -- FAQ

  1. What is ODBTP?
  2. How does it work?
  3. Why is ODBTP a binary protocol instead of a text protocol?
  4. Why does ODBTP require a Win32 service?
  5. Does the use of a service make it slow?
  6. Is ODBTP an ODBC-ODBC bridge?
  7. Does ODBTP have limited database support?
  8. Can ODBTP support databases that have UNICODE data types?
  9. Why is ODBTP ideal for use with MS SQL Server, MS Access and Visual FoxPro?
  10. Can ODBTP be used to access non-Win32 databases?
  11. Which programming languages are supported?
  12. Can the C client library be installed on ALL platforms?

  1. What is ODBTP?
    ODBTP is a TCP/IP protocol for connecting to Win32-based databases from any platform.
     
  2. How does it work?
    An ODBTP client remotely accesses a database by first establishing a TCP/IP connection with an ODBTP server installed on a Windows NT, XP Pro or 2000 host. After successfully connecting to the server, the client instructs the server to access the database. This is accomplished by the server with the database's locally installed ODBC driver. All subsequent database transactions are continually brokered by the server over the ODBTP connection.
     
  3. Why is ODBTP a binary protocol instead of a text protocol?
    In order to achieve the highest possible performance, a binary protocol was chosen. Text protocols require significantly more overhead and processing than binary protocols. When performing large or frequent database transactions, the additional overhead of a text protocol will degrade overall performance.
     
  4. Why does ODBTP require a Win32 service?
    ODBTP is designed to provide remote access to Win32 ODBC drivers. In general, Win32 ODBC drivers have a higher level of availability and quality than non-Win32 ODBC drivers. Non-Win32 clients cannot access Win32 ODBC drivers without the use of a server residing on the same machine where the drivers are installed.
     
  5. Does the use of a service make it slow?
    Despite the involvement of a mediating server, ODBTP is very fast. This is primarily due to the fact that ODBTP is a very efficient binary protocol.
     
  6. Is ODBTP an ODBC-ODBC bridge?
    Although ODBC is used on the server-side, ODBTP does not use ODBC on the client-side. Therefore, it is not an ODBC-ODBC bridge. While this decision greatly limits the usability of ODBTP, it makes it easier to use by some developers. Unlike the ODBC C client library, the ODBTP C client library is developer friendly. The library was designed to make it very easy to develop C applications, and modules for scripting languages like PHP. However, it is possible for someone to create an ODBC driver with the ODBTP client library.
     
  7. Does ODBTP have limited database support?
    ODBTP was constructed to provide full access to all of a database's features with ODBC. In general, it is only subject to the limitations of ODBC and / or the database's ODBC driver.
     
  8. Can ODBTP support databases that have UNICODE data types?
    Full support for UNICODE text queries and data is available in ODBTP. It allows clients to optionally process queries with the UNICODE versions of the ODBC API functions. All UNICODE text is exchanged between the ODBTP client and server using UTF-8 encoding.
     
  9. Why is ODBTP ideal for use with MS SQL Server, MS Access and Visual FoxPro?
    ODBTP is ideal for accessing Microsoft database products, because it takes full advantage of Microsoft's ODBC drivers for its products. All of the new MS SQL Server 2000 and MS Access 2000 data types are supported. MS SQL Server stored procedures and MS Access stored queries are also completely supported by ODBTP. In addition, the ODBTP client library makes it very easy to send and receive stored procedure parameter data.
     
  10. Can ODBTP be used to access non-Win32 databases?
    ODBTP clients can connect to any database that has a Win32 ODBC driver installed on the machine where the ODBTP server resides. Thus, it is possible for ODBTP to connect to databases like MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle and Sybase.
     
  11. Which programming languages are supported?
    The only programming langauges currently supported are C and PHP.
     
  12. Can the C client library be installed on ALL platforms?
    The ODBTP C client library is known to have been successfully compiled and used on Windows, Linux, Solaris, MacOS X, Novell NetWare and VAX operating systems. The only potential issues are the target OS's ability to support Berkeley socket functions, and 64-bit integers.