SQL Anywhere® Server - Database Administration  > Connecting to a Database  > Simple connection examples

Connecting using a data source

You can save sets of connection parameters in a data source. All SQL Anywhere interfaces, except Open Client and jConnect, can use data sources.

To connect using a data source (Sybase Central or Interactive SQL)

1. Start Sybase Central or Interactive SQL and open the Connect dialog (if it doesn't appear automatically).

2. On the Identification tab, enter a user ID and password.

3. On the lower half of the Identification tab, do one of the following:

   • Select the ODBC Data Source Name option and specify a data source name (equivalent to the DataSourceName (DSN) connection parameter, which references a data source in the Windows registry). You can view a list of data sources by clicking Browse.

   • Select the ODBC Data Source File option and specify a data source file (equivalent to the FileDataSourceName (FILEDSN) connection parameter, which references a data source held in a file). You can search for a file by clicking Browse.

The SQL Anywhere 10 Demo data source holds a set of connection parameters, including the database file and a StartLine (START) parameter to start the database.

• Opening the Connect dialog
• Simple connection examples
• Using ODBC data sources on Unix