0

If a database has been written to the SQL-92 standard why does it need a proprietary driver?

Is there a Python library which would let me interact with a standard SQL-92 database?

The database is 4D v12 SQL and they don't have a 64 bit driver for the Mac, which I need.

Tim Penner
  • 3,551
  • 21
  • 36
dave
  • 572
  • 7
  • 16

2 Answers2

2

The problem is that while SQL is a standard, it does not specify how data must be transfered on the wire, nor the way connections have to be negociated to begin with. Hence servers implement their own protocol. ODBC provides a standard way at the programmatic level (a middleware) to interact with a DB driver, but the driver must implement that proprietary glue to get connected with a vendor server.

If an ODBC driver is available on the system, any library able to use the ODBC API should be able to access it, and thus access the handled DBs.

Regarding your specific problem, it seems that such driver exists. However at this time I was unable to access the page referencing it. This other page provides guidance on how to properly install the driver.

didierc
  • 14,572
  • 3
  • 32
  • 52
  • Hello @didierc and thanks for your input. Sadly 4D's 64-bit driver is only for Windows and V13, I am on Mac and V12. I appreciate you checking, though. That is interesting to know about the proprietary aspects such as connection and data-transfer. I now realise why drivers are specific to their databases. – dave Apr 20 '13 at 18:09
  • I am sorry I cannot be of further help. I kindly suggest that you contact the company (you probably had a point of contact provided to you when you bought the product), and see with them how you can solve the issue. – didierc Apr 20 '13 at 18:43
1

In reference to "The database is 4D v12 SQL and they don't have a 64 bit driver for the Mac, which I need":

4D introduced a 64 bit ODBC Driver for the Mac OS X platform beginning in v15 which was originally released on the 16th of July 2015.

This is available from the download page here:
http://www.4d.com/downloads/products.html

Keep in mind that in order to utilize the v15 ODBC driver you would need to update the 4D Server to v15 also because the version of the Driver and the Server should match.

Tim Penner
  • 3,551
  • 21
  • 36
  • 1
    We understand you are being helpful. So don't get it wrong. But links to 3rd party tools and libraries and other such recommendations are off-topic "close the question" reasons. – Drew Feb 25 '16 at 18:09
  • sorry my comment was in reference to the OP statement of: "The database is 4D v12 SQL and they don't have a 64 bit driver for the Mac, which I need."... it wasnt a recommendation, the link i provided was for the item they said they needed. – Tim Penner Feb 25 '16 at 18:16
  • I know Tim. Not many would fault you for helping. We don't get free cheeseburgers for all this. – Drew Feb 25 '16 at 18:21
  • i have updated my answer to try to be more clear about what i was answering.... i hope this helps – Tim Penner Feb 25 '16 at 18:22
  • There's my sign of support. Just noticed your meta question. good luck :p – Drew Feb 26 '16 at 00:34