Re: [IBMiOSS] C#.Net connection to DB2

FYI the IBM Data Server Drivers are part of the Db2 Connect family and
require licensing to use with IBM i. We ship a license-free .NET provider
with the ACS Windows Application Package, but it also does not support
.NET Core. It's also Windows only.
We are mostly focused on ODBC nowadays with other languages like Python,
Node.js, PHP, etc and I would recommend going that route instead. On
Windows, this does require a one-time configuration using cwbcfg to
"register" an IBM i hostname with the driver. On Linux, PASE, etc this
configuration step isn't needed at all.

----- Original message -----
From: Kelly Cookson <KCookson@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent by: "OpenSource" <opensource-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: IBMi Open Source Roundtable <opensource@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc:
Subject: Re: [IBMiOSS] [EXTERNAL] Re: C#.Net connection to DB2
Date: Thu, Jul 23, 2020 11:32 PM
We use ODBC to connect to DB2 for i from .NET apps. However, after
connecting, we call DB2 SQL stored procedures instead of operating on
DB2 tables directly. People feel differently about it, but we feel using
a stored procedure is a little more secure. Your call based on your
circumstances regarding the use of stored procedures.

It also matters whether or not you use .NET Core versus the old .NET
Framework. If you look at the IBM support page for getting started with
IBM Data Server Drivers
([1]https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/getting-started-ibm-data-server-drivers)
, you will see that some of the driver packages are for .NET Framework
only--not for .NET Core. .NET Framework will still be around for a
while. However, it is getting out of date. .NET Core has gone through
three major revisions and is now at .NET Core 3. .NET Core 3 is being
supplanted by .NET 5, which is based on .NET Core 3 and incorporates
Mono and Xamarin from what I have read. .NET 5 previews have already
been released. Microsoft recommends moving away from .NET Framework for
new development. Again, though, your call based on your circumstances.

Thanks,

Kelly Cookson
Senior Software Engineer II
Dot Foods, Inc.
217-773-4486 ext. 12676
www.dotfoods.com

-----Original Message-----
From: OpenSource <opensource-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of
Mark Waterbury
Sent: Thursday, July 23, 2020 7:49 PM
To: IBMi Open Source Roundtable <opensource@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Re: [IBMiOSS] C#.Net connection to DB2

I believe the older Client Access for Windows has an ADO.NET provider
that works with ODBC.

And, I believe the newer Access Client Solutions for Windows also has an
ODBC driver.

Hope that helps ...

I expect you should see a reply from Calvin soon ... :-)

> On Thursday, July 23, 2020, 8:39:14 PM EDT,
smith5646midrange@xxxxxxxxx <smith5646midrange@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

This was originally posted to the technical list and it was suggested
that I post to the open source list.

I am playing with a concept and I need to connect to an IBM i database
with a C#.Net desktop program.  Pretty much everything I have found via
Google is either 10 years old or involves configuration on the PC
(something about db2cli writecfg).  Other databases such as MySQL have a
.dll that allows connection without any PC config.  Does such a thing
exist for the IBM i and I just haven't hit the right web page?  What is
the preferred method of connecting from a C#.Net program?

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