STARSQL Release 1.04 Release Notes September 19, 1995 Copyright 1995, StarWare Connectivity Software, Inc. StarWare Connectivity Software, Inc. 2150 Shattuck Ave Suite 613 Berkeley CA 94704 Phone: 510-704-2000 FAX: 510-704-2001 Internet: starsql.support@starware.com STARSQL: The Affordable PC Connectivity Solution! StarSQL is an ODBC driver that enables Windows applications on your PC to transparently access, send SQL queries to, and retrieve results from IBM mainframe and midrange systems. Providing high performance access through popular SNA gateways, the StarSQL ODBC driver requires no emulation, no expensive host software, and very little base memory on your client PC. This file (README.TXT) contains important & last minute information about StarSQL. The subdirectory NOTES on your StarSQL installation diskette contains additional files containing important information: ADVOPTS.TXT - StarSQL advanced options APPLICS.TXT - hints for using StarSQL with ODBC-enabled applications HINTS.TXT - general StarSQL Hints NETWARE.TXT - using StarSQL with NetWare for SAA (v1.3b & v2.0) DECPIC.TXT - using StarSQL with NetSoft Dynacomm/Elite NSWIN.TXT - using StarSQL with IBM APPC Networking Services for Windows (NS/Windows) PCS.TXT - using StarSQL with PC Support Router DB2MVS.TXT - connecting to DB2 MVS CMNSRVR.TXT - connecting to DB2 Common Server (DB2/2 and DB2/6000) CONTENTS SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS HOST CONNECTIVITY IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING PACKAGE COLLECTIONS CHANGE HISTORY LIMITATIONS INSTALLATION NOTES FOR WINDOWS, WINDOWS NT and WINDOWS 95 ACCESSING THE 32-BIT ODBC DRIVER FROM A 16-BIT APPLICATION ERRATA APPLICS.TXT - Hints for using StarSQL with ODBC-enabled applications: MICROSOFT QUERY NOTES MICROSOFT ACCESS 2.0 NOTES INTERSOLV Q & E NOTES GUPTA v5.02 AND PRE-v5.02 NOTES FOR OTHER DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS (e.g. PowerBuilder, Visual Basic) MICROSOFT JET ENGINE HINTS ADVOPTS.TXT - Advanced Options: CreateTable SpecialColumns BinaryCCSID AutoTypDefOvr & TypDefOvr Isolation Level Gupta1 Flag RmTPName (for connecting to SQL/DS) HINTS.TXT - general StarSQL Hints: USE OF THE SQL CATALOG QUALIFIER USE OF THE READ-ONLY CHECKBOX CREATING COLLECTIONS ON THE AS/400 ACCESSING PHYSICAL AND LOGICAL FILES ON OS/400 Connection specific readme files: NETWARE.TXT - using StarSQL with NetWare for SAA (v1.3b & v2.0) DECPIC.TXT - using StarSQL with NetSoft Dynacomm/Elite NSWIN.TXT - using StarSQL with IBM APPC Networking Services for Windows (NS/Windows) PCS.TXT - using StarSQL with PC Support Router DB2MVS.TXT - connecting to DB2 MVS CMNSRVR.TXT - connecting to DB2 Common Server (DB2/2 and DB2/6000) SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS StarSQL requires Windows 3.1, Windows NT, or Windows 95 and a 286 or better processor. A 386 or better processor is recommended. This version supports Windows NT on Intel, Alpha, and MIPS platforms, and Windows 95 on the Intel platform. Be sure to read "INSTALLATION NOTES FOR WINDOWS NT and WINDOWS 95" at the end of this file. HOST CONNECTIVITY StarSQL can use any of the following networks for host connectivity: * Microsoft SNA Server v2.1 or higher * Novell NetWare for SAA v1.3b * Novell NetWare for SAA v2.0 * AS/400 PC Support (Extended) * AS/400 PC Support replacement router such as the Novell NetWare AS/400 Router for PC Support * NetSoft NS/Router * NetSoft Dynacomm/Elite * AS/400 Client Access/400 for Windows (OS/400 v3r1) * IBM APPC Networking Services for Windows (NS/Windows) Be sure to read the readme files: * "NETWARE.TXT" for important setup information regarding NetWare for SAA * "PCS.TXT" for important setup information for PC Support, Client Access, or replacement routers * "DECPIC.TXT" for important setup information for NetSoft Dynacomm/Elite. * "NSWIN.TXT" for setup information regarding IBM APPC Networking Services for Windows * "DB2MVS.TXT" for setup information for connecting to DB2 MVS. * "CMNSRVR.TXT" for setup information for connection to DB2 Common Server (DB2/2 and DB2/6000). For OS/400 v3r1, install PTF SF22104 for product 5763SS1 (APAR SA41485). This fixes a problem in which column names of tables are not returned correctly if the column names have alias names longer than 18 characters. IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING PACKAGE COLLECTIONS: The format of SQL packages used by StarSQL was changed in v1.0.1; there is a slight delay the first time one connects with StarSQL v1.0.1 while SQL packages are rebound. If StarSQL v1.0 uses those same packages later, they will be rebound once again. If you run both StarSQL v1.0 and later versions, be sure to use different collections for the SQL packages to avoid "package wars." v1.04 - CHANGES FROM v1.03: 1) Support for Windows 95 in the Intel version of StarSQL. See Installation Notes for Windows NT and Windows 95 below for important information. 2) Support for Netsoft Dynacomm/Elite. See "DECPIC.TXT" for more information. 3) New version of StarWare support for PC Support: PC Support Turbo, which results in enhanced performance on Windows-based implementations such as IBM Client Access/400 for Windows, NetSoft NS/Router, and IDEA APPC Router. See "PCS.TXT" for more information. 4) Support for DB2 Common Server (DB2/2 and DB2/6000). See "CMNSRVR.TXT" for more information. 5) Support for IBM APPC Networking Services for Windows (NS/Windows). See "NSWIN.TXT" in the NOTES folder for setup information. 6) Improved support for Gupta SQLWindows and QuestReporter v.5.0.2. See "APPLICS.TXT" for important information. 7) Fixed the StarSQL SQL Parser to allow string values of ASCII characters greater than x'7F'; use of such strings in an application program that did not bind parameter data would cause the program to freeze. 8) Support for SQL/DS (VM/VSE). See RmtTPName in Advanced Options for setup information. 9) Name filtering when using the system-wide catalog on the database server - see Restricted Catalog Views in Hints. 10) A problem that caused the StarSQL 32-bit driver to attempt to connect to the database using isolation level NO COMMIT has been corrected. v1.03: CHANGES FROM v1.02: 1) Support for Gupta SQLWindows and QuestReporter. See APPLICS.TXT and ADVOPTS.TXT for important information. 2) Lotus Approach Notes: Lotus Approach is restricted to read only access. Lotus Approach will copy tables that do not have unique indexes to the local PC. Approach will treat tables accessible through StarSQL as read-only even if a unique index exists (but avoiding the table copy). NOTE: Lotus Approach will not detect unique indexes unless the following command has been added to the data source specification in the ODBC.INI file: SpecialColumns=ON 3) Improved access to AS/400 physical and logical files that do not belong to a SQL Collection. See General StarSQL Hints for more information. 4) Fixed problem with uploading tables containing NULL-valued TIMESTAMP using Microsoft Query. 5) Fixed memory problem when retrieving results from tables with hundreds of columns. 6) Fixed problem where Date, Time, and TimeStamp literals were incorrectly reported as having illegal formats. 7) Fixed problem where APPC Errors values were incorrectly reported in the Intel x86 NT version of StarSQL. 8) Fixed problem in DRVSETUP when setting up multiple data sources after install. 9) Support for Windows NT on DEC Alpha. (StarSQL appears as StarSQL NT in the Windows NT version.) 10) Support for NetWare SAA v2.0. 11) Fixed problem executing SQL with more than 84 parameter markers. The problem was erroneously reported as a communications link failure. It was most commonly encountered when tables were uploaded with a large number of columns. 12) The data types SQL_NUMERIC and SQL_DECIMAL can now handle values with a whole-number portion outside of the ranges of the SQL_C_LONG type. Values are now restricted only by the precision and scale attributes of the variable. v1.02: CHANGES FROM v1.0: * WindowsNT is now supported (Intel & MIPS platforms). (StarSQL appears as StarSQL NT in the Windows NT version.) * Connections to OS/400 v3r1 is now supported. * Connections using NetWare for SAA 2.0, NetSoft NS/Router, and PC Support Router and replacement routers is now supported. * Connection to an AS/400 with QCCSID 65535 (i.e. *HEX, or 0xFFFF) is now supported - see "BinaryCCSID" in Advanced Options. * Access to AS/400 physical files residing in libraries that are not SQL collections and the setting of Isolation Level on a per-datasource basis is now supported - see "IsolationLevel" in Advanced Options. * Improved catalog SQL for DB2; implemented search features; however these are not used by applications such as MS Query or MS Access. * SQLCancel is now supported. * Fixed problem where indexes may be reported incorrectly when using OS/400 v2r3 and SQLSpecialColumns. * Miscellaneous bug fixes. LIMITATIONS In rare cases, you may receive a General Protection Fault in module KRNL383.EXE when using StarSQL multiple times. Please see Installation Notes for Windows and Windows NT for more information and a workaround. AS/400 only: If the AS/400 system value QCCSID or the CCSID field of the user's profile is not the install default of 65535 (0xFFFF) e.g. it has been changed to 37 - but a field in a table has a CCSID of 65535, StarSQL makes the assumption that it is dealing with an older table that was created when the system or user CCSID was 65535 and treats that field as character data rather than binary data. To interpret a field with CCSID=65535 as binary data, set BinaryCCSID=0 in the data source. See the "BinaryCCSID" section in "Advanced Options". This is unnecessary for DB2 MVS; fields with CCSID 65535 are interpreted as binary data unless you add the BinaryCCSID keyword with a non-zero value to the data source. * StarSQL binds the Catalog Query SQL to a catalog package at connect time to save prepare time on subsequent use. This action results in a delay and high CPU utilization on the host whenever the StarSQL driver needs to bind a new Catalog package. StarSQL binds a new Catalog package when a user connects for the first time using the driver (unless that user is using a shared library for packages), and whenever the Catalog Qualifier is changed to a previously unused collection. * When an application issues the SQLTables call to an AS/400, it returns only a single owner-id. INSTALLATION NOTES FOR WINDOWS If you would like to access the 32-bit StarSQL ODBC Driver from a 16- bit application, please see "Accessing the 32-Bit StarSQL Driver From a 16-Bit Application" below. General Protection Fault Related to WIN87EM.DLL: In rare cases, you may receive a a General Protection Fault in module KRNL386.EXE when using StarSQL multiple times. This is due to the StarSQL DLL SWODBC16 being reloaded when WIN87EM.DLL is not already loaded. In most cases this will not occur because WIN87EM.DLL is usually loaded. If this does occur, the workaround is to rename WIN87EM.DLL to WIN87EM.EXE and place WIN87EM.EXE on the LOAD= line of the WIN.INI file. This allows Program Manager to always keep WIN87EM.DLL in memory. Installed Files In addition to the ODBC DLL modules, the following StarSQL DLL modules are installed into \SYSTEM during the 16-bit StarSQL install: ARI0304.DLL QSQ0203.DLL QSQ0301.DLL DSN0203.DLL DSN0301.DLL SWWAPPC.DLL SWGEST16.DLL SWRNTM16.DLL SWODBC16.DLL SWNAPPC.DLL SWEHN.DLL SWEHNT.DLL SWSAA2.DLL SWNSDW.DLL SQL0201.DLL SWDECPIC.DLL Also the files SWODBC.HLP is installed in installed into \SYSTEM and SWODBC.INI is installed in \. INSTALLATION NOTES FOR WINDOWS NT and WINDOWS 95 * StarSQL appears as "StarSQL NT" in Windows NT v1.03 and earlier; StarSQL appears as "StarSQL 32" in Windows NT and Windows 95 v1.04 and later. The name "StarSQL NT" was changed to "StarSQL 32" with the addition of Windows 95 support in StarSQL v1.04. * IMPORTANT NOTE: When StarSQL first connects to a host, two SQL packages are created in the Package Collection specified in the data source. These packages are used for all subsequent uses of the data source. There is a problem, however, when you use StarSQL 32 with the Microsoft SNA Client for Windows 95 using TCP/IP as your network protocol between the client and the Microsoft SNA Server. The two packages are not created when you first connect, and you will receive one of the following error messages: Unexpected DRDA reply codepoint X'220E' OR Unexpected APPC error The workaround is to either use a different network protocol, such as Named Pipes or IPX/SPX, or to use a different client, such as Windows 3.x or Windows NT, for your first connection of StarSQL32 to the host. The two packages will be created during this first connection, and you can then use the Microsoft SNA Client for Windows 95 using TCP/IP for subsequent sessions. * IMPORTANT NOTE: If you have previously installed StarSQL NT v1.03 or earlier, we recommend that you remove the old version before installation of StarSQL 32 v1.04 or later. If you do not remove the old version of StarSQL NT, both names ("StarSQL NT" and "StarSQL 32") appear in the list of available ODBC drivers when you configure ODBC data sources. Either name will work correctly, but the display of two names may cause confusion. In addition, if you remove the old version of StarSQL NT after installation of the new version of StarSQL 32 v1.04 or later, the new version of StarSQL ceases to function. To remove the old version of StarSQL NT v1.03 or earlier: 1. Record the names and contents of all your StarSQL data sources, as these will be deleted and you will need to recreate them. 2. Start the 32-bit ODBC Administrator (in the "ODBC (Common)" program group and in the Control Panels). 3. Select Drivers. A list appears of all installed ODBC drivers. 4. Select "StarSQL NT" and click the "Delete" button. * Setup installs MFC30.DLL for use by the ODBC Driver Manager. We recommend that you close all applications before beginning installation, to avoid the situation where MFC30.DLL is in use by another application and cannot be replaced. * If you have previously installed CTL3D32.DLL, you receive a warning that it is currently in use & cannot be replaced; Click "ignore" to continue installing this product. ACCESSING THE 32-BIT STARSQL ODBC DRIVER FROM A 16-BIT APPLICATION: Setup installs everything you need to access the 32-bit StarSQL ODBC Driver from a 32-bit application. If you would like to access the 32-bit driver from a 16-bit application, you must install the 16-bit ODBC components: 1. From the 16-bit StarSQL Install Driver screen, do not select any drivers. 2. Click OK. The correct version of 16-bit ODBC components your 16-bit application needs to access the 32-bit driver is now installed. NT35FIX: Be sure to read the README file for SNA Server 2.1.1. It describes a required fix involving the file \\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\RDR.SYS. This fix is located in the folder \NT35FIX of the SNA Server distribution, and should be installed on all Windows NT computers running as a SNA Server or client applications to a SNA Server. If the updated RDR.SYS file is not installed, the SNA Server software will not be supported correctly by the operating system. As a result, sessions may not connect and applications may not receive data. SNA5250 interaction: There is an APPC problem when sna5250 (the 5250 applet supplied with SNA Server) is used on Windows NT. If the user disconnects the sna5250 session, StarSQL receives a notice that the comm subsystem has ended. You can fix this problem by installing a newer version of RDR.SYS on the client machine. Installed Files In addition to the ODBC DLL modules, the following StarSQL NT DLL modules are installed into \SYSTEM32 during the 32-bit StarSQL NT install: ARI34NT.DLL QSQ23NT.DLL QSQ31NT.DLL DSN23NT.DLL DSN31NT.DLL SWAPPCNT.DLL SWGEST32.DLL SWRNTM32.DLL SWODBC32.DLL SQL21NT.DLL Also the files SWODBC.HLP and SWODBC.INI are installed in \. ERRATA for StarSQL User's Guide: Chapter 4 ODBC Functions & ODBC Data Types StarSql supports the following additional Level Two ODBC Function: SQLNativeSQL()