ODBC Database Access
The ODBC standard specifies that applications using ODBC must connect to databases through Data Source Names (DSNs) defined in the operating system.
Pervasive PSQL does not support File DSNs. You must use User or System DSNs. System DSNs are generally preferred, because they are available to all users on a given computer.
Every Pervasive PSQL database that you expect to access using an ODBC application must have a DSN that identifies the database. A DSN that points to a database engine is called an Engine DSN. Engine DSNs are 32-bit only and are deprecated. A 32-bit DSN that points to an Engine DSN or to a named database is called a Client DSN. A DSN on a 64-bit operating system is simply referred to as a 64-bit DSN, without designation of Engine or Client.
*Note: New or revised 32-bit applications, local or remote, should connect to a named database instead of using Engine DSNs. Alternately, applications could use DSN-less connections by specifying the driver name (see Pervasive PSQL ODBC Driver Names). Avoiding the use of Engine DSNs positions your application for the future when Engine DSNs will no longer be supported in Pervasive PSQL.
Pervasive PSQL databases that are accessed only through the transactional interface do not need DSNs. However, the database tables are not visible in PCC nor can they be manipulated using PCC. To view table data with PCC in readable form, the table must be defined in the data dictionary files (DDFs). See DDF Builder User’s Guide.
The Pervasive PSQL Java utilities do not require DSNs. The Pervasive PSQL Control Center, for example, uses JDBC not ODBC.
ODBC Administrator
Windows 64-bit operating systems contain two different executable files for ODBC Administrator, one for 32-bit DSNs and one for 64-bit DSNs. Each ODBC Administrator lists the system DSNs that only match its bitness. That is, the 64-bit ODBC Administrator lists 64-bit system DSNs, and vice versa. If you start ODBC Administrator from the Windows Control Panel, the 64-bit version is run.
Pervasive PSQL Control Center (PCC) contains separate options in the Tools menu to start the 32-bit or the 64-bit ODBC Administrator. Note that, if an ODBC Administrator is already open, Windows defaults to it. That is, if the 32-bit ODBC Administrator is open and you attempt to start the 64-bit one, Windows displays the 32-bit version (and vice versa). In other words, only one version of the ODBC Administrator runs at a time. This is a limitation of the Windows operating system, not Pervasive PSQL.