Sample JDBC Client

The HP Driver for JDBC comes with the source code to two JDBC applications, a sample client and a simple client. Both can be used to test the installation of JDBC components on the client and server.

The simple client is called SimpleClient and is a bare-bones text-based application that makes a connection to an ALLBASE/SQL or IMAGE/SQL database, and allows the user to send SQL statements and retrieve the results. There are no frills in the application, so as to make the code as simple as possible. This client should mainly be used for educational purposes. The rest of this discussion will focus on the more robust application.

The sample client is called SampleClient and is a more robust version of the simple client. It shows how to use a dialog box to obtain user input, and also better formats the result set output.

The first step using the sample client is to build it by compiling the Java source code. Normally, you would do this by using the Java compiler command (the command you use may be different, depending on your JDK):

javac SampleClient.java

If this step fails, then you most likely do not have the HP Driver for JDBC class files in your class path. Set your CLASSPATH environment variable or use the -classpath Java compiler option to include the directory in which the driver class files are located. For more information, refer to your JDK documentation on including other class files.

Once the Java compiler has compiled the source file, the following Java class file will be created:

SampleClient.class

To run the sample client, follow the instructions provided with your Java SDK for your client platform. Make sure that your Java CLASSPATH includes the directory in which the HP Driver for JDBC class files have been installed, so that the Java Virtual Machine is able to load them. For most platforms, the command to run the sample client is:

java SampleClient [-w] [-t]

Follow the prompts given by the application to connect to your database and to execute SQL statements.

The sample client can be used as a starting point for developing your own applications or for troubleshooting connection problems with the database.

The -w command line switch will cause the sample client to display a Java dialog box to accept user input of the connection information. Normally the sample client uses text-mode input, which displays the user password on the screen.

The -t command line switch will cause the application to turn on client-side tracing and prompt the user for the trace flags and the trace output filename.