Bruce Knox    Database Programmer/Analyst                                                                                date last updated 02/12/07

DSN and DBQ are Sources of Confusion When Connecting via ODBC. 

With Microsoft and Oracle barely acknowledging each other, determining what is required to complete the connection string is sometimes difficult.  Using the images and the text below, substitute your site’s values from top to bottom. 

DSN is the Data Source Name.  DBQ is the TNS Service Name. 

for 

a tnsnames.ora like:

PRODUCTION.WORLD =

  (DESCRIPTION =

    (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(servername_or_IP_Address)(PORT = 1521))

    (CONNECT_DATA = (SID = PROD))

  )

The PRODUCTION in PRODUCTION.WORLD is the DSN or the Data Source Name.  DBQ is the TNS Service Name, which is PROD in this case (see Driver Configuration above).

connect string: ODBC;DSN=PRODUCTION;UID=BKNOX;DBQ=PROD;

There are many other possible connect string parameters that are infrequently specified directly.

Disclaimer

Use this information and these scripts at your own risk. As a condition of using these scripts and information from this site, you agree to hold harmless both the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service and Bruce Knox for any problems that they may cause or other situations that may arise from their use, and that neither the Extension Service nor I will be held liable for those consequences.  The scripts and information are provided "as is" without warranty, implied or otherwise.  Limitation of liability will be the amount paid to the University of Arkansas specifically for this information. (It was free:)

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