DSN and DBQ are Sources of Confusion When Connecting via ODBC. 

by Bruce Knox  bknox @t uaex.edu     Oracle Database Programmer/Analyst                                        date last updated 02/13/2014

With Microsoft and Oracle barely acknowledging each other, determining what is required to complete the connection string is sometimes difficult.  Using the images and the text below, substitute your site’s values from top to bottom. 

DSN is the Data Source Name.  DBQ is the TNS Service Name. 

for 

a tnsnames.ora like:

PRODUCTION.WORLD =

  (DESCRIPTION =

    (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(servername_or_IP_Address)(PORT = 1521))

    (CONNECT_DATA = (SID = PROD))

  )

The PRODUCTION in PRODUCTION.WORLD is the DSN or the Data Source Name.  DBQ is the TNS Service Name, which is PROD in this case (see Driver Configuration above).

connect string: ODBC;DSN=PRODUCTION;UID=BKNOX;DBQ=PROD;

There are many other possible connect string parameters that are infrequently specified directly.

 

http://www.uaex.edu/bknox/Oracle8_DSN_and_DBQ.htm is a personal site maintained by Bruce Knox ( bknox at uaex.edu )

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