ANN: mxODBC Package - Version 1.1.0

[M.-A. Lemburg]

ANNOUNCING:

                      mxODBC Version 1.1.0

          A Python Extension Package providing a generic
                Interface to ODBC 2.0 API compliant                    
                    Database Drivers or Managers


WHAT IT IS:

mxODBC is an extension package that provides a Python Database
API compliant interface to ODBC 2.0 capable database drivers
and managers. In addition to the capabilities provided through
the standard API it also provides a rich set of catalog methods
that allow you to scan the database for tables, procedures, etc.
Furthermore, it uses the mxDateTime package for date/time value
interfacing eliminating most of the problems these types normally
introduce.

mxODBC is known to work with Adabas, MySQL, iODBC Unix ODBC Manager,
Solid, Sybase, OpenLink and Intersolv ODBC drivers, Oracle/NT,
EasySofts ODBC-ODBC bridge and the Windows ODBC Manager.
This covers pretty much the whole range of well known relational
database engines and gives you all the connectivity you'll need for
doing great database work in Python.

WHAT'S NEW ?

The 1.1.0 version is the start of moving from DB API 1.0 to
DB API 2.0. Not all changes have been implemented yet, but most
of the interface was overhauled in order to become DB API 2.0
compatible. Since mxODBC has been using an extended version
of the DB API standard for some time already the changes are
kept to a minimum. See the documentation for more details.

Starting with this version, mxODBC knows about two different
ways to bind Python data to SQL statement parameters:

The first was in use ever since the first version: SQL type binding.
In this mode the database is queried for the data type and
the Python parameters are then converted into those types.

The new binding mode in this version is Python type binding.
Here, the Python programmer has to know which types are to
be used for the parameters and the conversion is left to the
database. This is of course not as elegant as the first method,
but the only way to get some database to work together with
mxODBC (since their drivers are missing an important ODBC API).

As a result, mxODBC can now also be used to connect to MS Access.
In fact, the archive contains a precompiled binary which will
let you start working right away.

To test your database's capabilities (and the mxODBC connection
to it), the package now comes with a generic test script. This
provides two features: 1. column type detection and 2. memory
leak detection. Note that there are no known leaks in mxODBC;
OTOH, several ODBC drivers do leak.

WHERE CAN I GET IT ?

The full documentation and instructions for downloading and
installing can be found at:

        http://starship.skyport.net/~lemburg/mxODBC.html

The mxDateTime package needed for mxODBC can be found at:

        http://starship.skyport.net/~lemburg/mxDateTime.html

WHAT DOES IT COST ?

mxODBC comes with a slightly modified Python-style license:
Usage is free for non-commercial and commercial internal use.
Redistribution of the package in commercial products requires a
separate license and will only be free if the product itself is
free.

Detailed license information is available at:

        http://starship.skyport.net/~lemburg/mxODBC-License.html

WHERE CAN I GET SUPPORT ?

I am offering commercial support for this package through
Python Professional Services Inc. (http://www.pythonpros.com).
Look on their support pages for details or contact me directly.

REFERENCE:

<P><A HREF="http://starship.skyport.net/~lemburg/mxODBC.html>
mxODBC 1.1.0</A> - ODBC Interface. (27-Apr-1999)

-- 
Marc-Andre Lemburg                               Y2000: 248 days left
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