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Get the Report →Connect to Spark Data from PowerBuilder via ODBC
This article demonstrates how to use the CData ODBC Driver for Spark to connect to Spark data and execute queries in PowerBuilder.
The CData ODBC Driver for Spark can be used from any platform or development technology that supports ODBC, including PowerBuilder. This article shows how to connect to Spark data and execute queries from the Database Painter and controls such as the DataWindow.
Connect to Spark as an ODBC Data Source
If you have not already, first specify connection properties in an ODBC DSN (data source name). This is the last step of the driver installation. You can use the Microsoft ODBC Data Source Administrator to create and configure ODBC DSNs.
Set the Server, Database, User, and Password connection properties to connect to SparkSQL.
Create a Profile for the ODBC Driver for Spark
Follow the steps below to use the Database Painter tool to create a database profile based on an ODBC DSN (data source name) for Spark. In the Database Painter, you can use wizards and the UI to work with Spark data.
- In PowerBuilder, click Tools -> Database Painter.
- In the Objects window in the Database Painter, right-click the ODBC node and click New Profile.
- On the Connection tab, enter a name for the profile and select the Spark DSN in the Data Source menu.
- To view and modify a table, right-click a table and then click Edit Data -> Grid.

Using Spark Data with PowerBuilder Controls
You can use standard PowerBuilder objects to connect to ODBC data sources and execute queries. The following example shows how to retrieve Spark data into a DataWindow. You can add the following code to the open method:
SQLCA.DBMS = "ODBC"
SQLCA.DBParm = "ConnectString='DSN=CData SparkSQL Source'"
CONNECT USING SQLCA;
dw_customers.SetTransObject(SQLCA);
dw_customers.Retrieve();