Configuring the SQL Server ODBC Driver - Add a Data Source

Applies to: SQL Server Azure SQL Database Azure SQL Managed Instance Azure Synapse Analytics Analytics Platform System (PDW)

Before using ODBC applications with SQL Server 2005 (9.x) or later, you must know how to upgrade the version of the catalog stored procedures on earlier versions of SQL Server and add, delete, and test data sources.

You can add a data source by using ODBC Administrator, programmatically (by using SQLConfigDataSource), or by creating a file.

To add a data source by using ODBC Administrator

  1. From the Control Panel, access Administrative Tools and then either ODBC Data Sources (64-bit) or ODBC Data Sources (32-bit). Alternatively, you can invoke odbcad32.exe.

  2. Click the User DSN, System DSN, or File DSN tab, and then click Add.

  3. Click SQL Server, and then click Finish.

  4. Complete the steps in the Create a New Data Source to SQL Server Wizard. For more information, see ODBC Data Source Administrator DSN.

To add a data source programmatically

  1. Call SQLConfigDataSource with the second parameter set to either ODBC_ADD_DSN or ODBC_ADD_SYS_DSN.

To add a file data source

  1. Call SQLDriverConnect with a SAVEFILE=file_name parameter in the connect string. If the connect is successful, the ODBC driver creates a file data source with the connection parameters in the location pointed to by the SAVEFILE parameter.

Delete a Data Source (ODBC)