Connect to Postmark Data in DBeaver
NOTE: The Legacy ODBC driver was removed in DBeaver Community Edition 23.1. As an alternative, you can use a CData JDBC Driver (learn how here: How to Connect DBeaver to Postmark via JDBC). If you need to use ODBC Drivers, refer to the DBeaver Documentation.
The CData API Driver for ODBC enables access to live data from Postmark under the ODBC standard, allowing you work with Postmark data in a wide variety of BI, reporting, and ETL tools and directly, using familiar SQL queries. This article shows how to manage Postmark data with visual tools in DBeaver like the query browser.
The CData ODBC drivers offer unmatched performance for interacting with live Postmark data in DBeaver due to optimized data processing built into the driver. When you issue complex SQL queries from DBeaver to Postmark, the driver pushes supported SQL operations, like filters and aggregations, directly to Postmark and utilizes the embedded SQL engine to process unsupported operations (often SQL functions and JOIN operations) client-side. With built-in dynamic metadata querying, you can manage and analyze Postmark data.
Connect to Postmark
If you have not already done so, provide values for the required connection properties in the data source name (DSN). You can configure the DSN using the Microsoft ODBC Data Source Administrator. This is also the last step of the driver installation. See the "Getting Started" chapter in the Help documentation for a guide to using the Microsoft ODBC Data Source Administrator to create and configure a DSN.
Using API Key Authentication
Postmark uses server API tokens to authenticate requests. Each Postmark server has its own API token, which controls access to messages, bounces, templates, and statistics associated with that server.
To obtain your Server API Token, log in to your Postmark account and navigate to the server you want to connect to. Go to API Tokens under the server settings and copy the token labeled Server API token.
After setting the following connection properties, you are ready to connect:
- AuthScheme: Set this to APIKey.
- APIKey: Set this to your Postmark Server API Token. This value is sent as the X-Postmark-Server-Token header on every request.
Example connection string:
Profile=C:\profiles\Postmark.apip;AuthScheme=APIKey;ProfileSettings="APIKey=your-server-api-token"
Connecting to Postmark
Once the authentication is configured, you can connect to Postmark and query data from any of the available tables such as OutboundMessages, Bounces, and Templates.
Finally, set the "Map To WVarchar connection property to False in the DSN Configuration window for the driver. This configuration will allow string types to be mapped to SQL_VARCHAR and prevent SQL_WVARCHAR types from being displayed as NULL.
Connecting to the Postmark ODBC Data Source in DBeaver
- Open the DBeaver application and in the Database menu, select the New Database Connection option.
- In the 'Connect to a database' window, select ODBC and click Next.
- In the Database/Schema field, enter the DSN name (CData Postmark Source by default). It will be automatically added to the JDBC URL as well.
- Click the Test Connection button. You should receive a 'Connected' message after DBeaver has detected the DSN, along with details about the driver if the connection is successful.
Query Postmark Data
You can now query information from the tables exposed by the data source connection. You can expand the database structure in order to view all the tables. You can retrieve the table's data by right-clicking on a table name and selecting View data. The data will then be available in the Data tab.
Free Trial & More Information
At this point, you have connected to live Postmark data from DBeaver. For more information, visit the CData ODBC Driver page. Download a free, 30-day trial and start working live Postmark data DBeaver today.