odbc.ini(5) unixODBC manual pages odbc.ini(5)

# [NAME](#NAME)

/etc/odbc.ini, $HOME/.odbc.ini - unixODBC data source configuration files

# [DESCRIPTION](#DESCRIPTION)

**/etc/odbc.ini** is a system-wide configuration file for ODBC Data Source Names (DSNs).

**$HOME/.odbc.ini** is a user-specific configuration file for ODBC Data Source Names (DSNs).

Paths to both configuration files can be overridden by *unixODBC* build options. Call **odbcinst -j** to determine the default configuration file paths on your system.

# [NOTES](#NOTES)

## [Templates](#Templates)

Many ODBC drivers come with .ini file templates. Using **odbcinst** to install these templates is recommended.

## [FILE FORMAT](#FILE_FORMAT)

**odbc.ini** follows the pesudo-standard *ini file* syntax convention of one or more **\[section headings]**, each followed by zero or more **key =** **value** attributes.

**\[ODBC Data Sources]** section

This mandatory section lists each data source name (*DSN*) as a key. The associated values serve as comments. Each entry must be matched by an ini file **\[section]** describing the data source.

[Data Source Name **\[section\]**](#Data)

Each data source is identified by a **\[section header]**, which is the DSN name used by applications. Each DSN definition section may contain values for the keys:

• Driver (**REQUIRED**)

The name of the ODBC driver to use for the DSN. The name must exactly match the **\[section name]** of the driver definition stored in **odbcinst.ini** (and listed by **odbcinst -q -d**).

• Description

Human-readable data source description.

• Database

Database name or identifier. The meaning is driver-specific and can specify a file path, Unix socket path, an identifier relative to a server name, etc.

• Servername

Server name. The meaning is driver-specific but generally specifies a DNS name, IP network address or driver-specific discovery identifier.

For a full list of supported parameters, refer to the HTML-formatted "Administrator Manual" shipped with *unixODBC*, the documentation for your ODBC driver and any data-source templates supplied by your driver.

# [EXAMPLES](#EXAMPLES)

An example **odbc.ini** configuration file is shown in the "Administrator Manual" shipped with *unixODBC*.

# [SEE ALSO](#SEE_ALSO)

[**unixODBC**(7)](/man/os/unixodbc/unixODBC.7), [**odbcinst**(1)](/man/os/unixodbc/odbcinst.1), [**isql**(1)](/man/os/unixodbc/isql.1), [**iusql**(1)](/man/os/unixodbc/iusql.1), [**odbcinst.ini**(5)](/man/os/unixodbc/odbcinst.ini.5)

"The *unixODBC Administrator Manual (HTML)*"

# [AUTHORS](#AUTHORS)

The authors of unixODBC are Peter Harvey <*pharvey@codebydesign.com*> and Nick Gorham <*nick@lurcher.org*>.

For a full list of contributors, refer to the *AUTHORS* file.

# [COPYRIGHT](#COPYRIGHT)

unixODBC is licensed under the GNU Lesser General Public License. For details about the license, see the *COPYING* file.

Sun 10 Jan 2021 version 2.3.12

---

Document: odbc.ini(5) from unixodbc 2.3.14-r4 (Chainguard OS)
Source: https://github.com/lurcher/unixODBC