Considerations When Working with the Connector for ODBC - IBM i

Configuring Data Source Names

With the introduction of Multi-Version Capable Domino for IBM i, it is possible to have more than one version of Domino installed. Each version of Domino that is installed uses its own copy of the odbc.ini file. If you upgrade your Domino server to a later version of Domino, the server will use the odbc.ini for the newer version of Domino. Data source names (DSN) are not automatically transferred from the previous odbc.ini.

After upgrading your Domino server, you must modify the odbc.ini for that version of Domino to include any ODBC data source you wish to use. Examples of ODBC data source names are given in the odbc.ini as references.

The location of the odbc.ini is /QIBM/UserData/LOTUS/DOMINOXXX/EITODBC/odbc.ini where XXX corresponds to the version of Domino the server is running. For example, the odbc.ini that is used by a server running Domino 8.5 is /QIBM/UserData/LOTUS/DOMINO850/EITODBC/odbc.ini.

Using PASE with the Connector

The Lotus Connector for ODBC for IBM i uses the IBM i Portable Application Solutions Environment. Considerations must be taken when using the Lotus Connector for ODBC in a job where other applications that use IBM i PASE are running since only one IBM i PASE environment may run in a job at a time. The Lotus Connector for ODBC can use an IBM i PASE environment that has been started in the job before the connector has been used. However, PASE must be running in 32-bit mode and it must have been started in the same activation group (*DFTACTGRP) as the Lotus Connector for ODBC in order for the Connector to share the PASE environment. Errors caused by other applications using the PASE environment may affect the Connector.

The Lotus Connector for ODBC initializes the IBM i PASE environment by using the default shell script located at /usr/lib/start32. You can specify a different PASE startup shell script by setting the notes.ini variable EIOS400PaseStartupPgm to the path of an alternate shell script. The Lotus Connector for ODBC will then use this shell script to start PASE instead of the default script. This alternate shell script must start PASE in 32-bit mode and leave it active on return.