The Odbc Solution: Open Database Connectivity in Distributed Environments/Book and Disk (Mcgraw-Hill Series on Computer Communications) [Hardcover]

Robert Signore (Author), John Creamer (Author), Michael O. Stegman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1995 | ISBN-10: 0079118801 | ISBN-13: 978-0079118806 | Edition: Har/Dis

Now you can learn how to tap the power of open systems quickly and easily! This practical book/disk package gives you everything you need to write consistent applications that communicate readily with any ODBC data source in a client/server environment. In a hands-on tutorial format with extensive examples, this easy-to-use guide shows you exactly how to use all ODBC features to maximize connected database functionality. This is the first book to cover ODBC in such depth - you'll find all the tools and techniques you need to achieve true open connectivity across a wide array of platforms and products. You'll learn how to reach different data sources, how to maximize the functionality of every connected database, and all the proven techniques you need to become a proficient ODBC programmer. The accompanying disk contains all of the source code in C, which makes ODBC applications easy to create. With the tutorial and the disk, you can create a full-featured database application for Windows, UNIX, Macintosh, or OS/2 that can reach any ODBC data source.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

This textbook is designed for use in a college-level computer-science class. As such, The ODBC Solution has the characteristics, both good and bad, of an academic work. On the positive side, this book does a superior job of clearly showing how to open a connection to a database, perform operations upon the database, and close the connection. That is what ODBC (Open Database Connectivity) is all about, after all, and any book that communicates the concepts and procedures involved in ODBC database transactions deserves praise. The authors do a fine job of explaining the ins and outs of the various API (application programming interface) calls, as well as SQL (structured query language) statements and the basics of transaction processing. All the relevant source code (in C) appears on the companion diskette.

Negatively, this book covers only the outmoded ODBC 2.0 API, and the authors fail to say much about networked database applications, particularly as they apply to the Internet and intranets. (There's no coverage of three-layer database architecture, for instance.)

Taken as a whole, The ODBC Solution is appropriate if you're brand-new to ODBC; particularly if you need to work with a legacy system that employs ODBC 2.0.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 267 pages
• Publisher: Mcgraw-Hill (Tx); Har/Dis edition (February 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0079118801
• ISBN-13: 978-0079118806
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,906,226 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best book on writing ODBC applications, December 21, 1999

By 

booklover "booklover" (Arlington, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Odbc Solution: Open Database Connectivity in Distributed Environments/Book and Disk (Mcgraw-Hill Series on Computer Communications) (Hardcover)

With the ODBC API you are given a whole lot of notes? But how do you combine those notes to write a symphony? This is the only book on the market which really shows you how. It consists of a detailed ODBC reference and highly useful sample code that shows how to take the API calls and make an application out of them.

The calls are grouped in logical sequences, each call is thoroughly described, and then an example of a program that uses that call (and other calls) is given.

The writing is extremely clear. The presentation is excellent. The book is extremely well organized.

It does not assume any prior knowledge of ODBC though it assumes you know how to program C.

C is the only language used in the book. The use of ODBC in other languages such as Visual Basic is not discussed.

Though this book is old; I cannot recommend it too highly. I've used it before and I'll use it again.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars About the best you can do outside of the classroom, November 10, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Odbc Solution: Open Database Connectivity in Distributed Environments/Book and Disk (Mcgraw-Hill Series on Computer Communications) (Hardcover)

I had a situation come up where I needed to access an Oracle 7 stored procedure that returned output parameters and no results set. The Microsoft Visual C++ CRecordset classes don't handle that situation very well. The only solution was to drop down into ODBC API calls. I struggled until I found this book. It takes a lot of the mystery out of an extremely complex API. It pretty much rides around in my backpack everywhere I go now!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Its a helpful book......but, February 15, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Odbc Solution: Open Database Connectivity in Distributed Environments/Book and Disk (Mcgraw-Hill Series on Computer Communications) (Hardcover)

I have read this book and am using it as a source while writing a C++ program (console) which utilizes ODBC calls. Though the book is quite helpful, I am now here at Amazon looking for a book with more specifics!!! The examples do work, but are often so simple that when you get to a 'real world' complex query, they are of little assistance. Definitely will NOT be the only resource you'll need to develop a complete application using ODBC.