Build Sybase-Connected Web Apps in Servoy

Servoy is a rapid application development and deployment platform. When paired with the CData JDBC Driver for Sybase, users can build Sybase-connected apps that work with live Sybase data. This article describes how to connect to Sybase from Servoy and build a simple web app to display and search Sybase data.

With built-in optimized data processing, the CData JDBC Driver offers unmatched performance for interacting with live Sybase data. When you issue complex SQL queries to Sybase, the driver pushes supported SQL operations, like filters and aggregations, directly to Sybase and utilizes the embedded SQL engine to process unsupported operations client-side (often SQL functions and JOIN operations). Its built-in dynamic metadata querying lets you work with Sybase data using native data types.

Connect to Sybase in Servoy Developer

To build Sybase-connected apps, you need to first create a data provider in Servoy Developer using the CData JDBC Driver for Sybase.

1. Install the JDBC Driver.
2. Copy the JDBC Driver JAR file. (cdata.jdbc.sybase.jar) to the /application_server/drivers/ directory in the installation directory for Servoy.
3. Open Servoy Developer.
4. In the Solution Explorer, right-click Database Server (under Resources) and choose "Connect to existing database" -> "empty."
   1. Name the server.
   2. Click to show the advanced server settings.

      • Set the URL, for example: jdbc:sybase:User=myuser;Password=mypassword;Server=localhost;Database=mydatabase;Charset=iso_1;

        Built-In Connection String Designer

        For assistance in constructing the JDBC URL, use the connection string designer built into the Sybase JDBC Driver. Either double-click the JAR file or execute the jar file from the command-line.

        java -jar cdata.jdbc.sybase.jar

        Fill in the connection properties and copy the connection string to the clipboard.

        To connect to Sybase, specify the following connection properties:

        • Server: Set this to the name or network address of the Sybase database instance.
        • Database: Set this to the name of the Sybase database running on the specified Server.

        Optionally, you can also secure your connections with TLS/SSL by setting UseSSL to true.

        Sybase supports several methods for authentication including Password and Kerberos.

        Connect Using Password Authentication

        Set the AuthScheme to Password and set the following connection properties to use Sybase authentication.

        • User: Set this to the username of the authenticating Sybase user.
        • Password: Set this to the username of the authenticating Sybase user.

        Connect using LDAP Authentication

        To connect with LDAP authentication, you will need to configure Sybase server-side to use the LDAP authentication mechanism.

        After configuring Sybase for LDAP, you can connect using the same credentials as Password authentication.

        Connect Using Kerberos Authentication

        To leverage Kerberos authentication, begin by enabling it setting AuthScheme to Kerberos.

      See the Using Kerberos section in the Help documentation for more information on using Kerberos authentication.

      You can find an example connection string below: Server=MyServer;Port=MyPort;User=SampleUser;Password=SamplePassword;Database=MyDB;Kerberos=true;KerberosKDC=MyKDC;KerberosRealm=MYREALM.COM;KerberosSPN=server-name

   3. Select the Driver class you just copied, for example, cdata.jdbc.sybase.SybaseDriver

Build a Sybase-Connected Web App

Once you have configured the connection to Sybase in the Servoy Developer resources, you are ready to build apps with access to live Sybase data.

Create a New Solution

1. In the Server Explorer, right-click "All solutions" and select "Create new solution."
2. Name the solution.
3. Select the checkbox to include the "search" module.
4. Click "Finish."

Create a New Form

Right-click "Forms" and select "Create new form."

1. Name the form.
2. Select a Datasource.
3. Set the type (e.g., Simple) and click "Finish."

Add a Data Grid to the Form

1. Drag a Data Grid component (from Servoy NG-Grids) onto the form.

2. Drag a column component onto the Data Grid and set the "dataprovider" property for each column component to a column from the Sybase "table" (e.g., Id from the Products table).

   Continue adding columns as desired.

Add Searching to the App

Note that the "svySearch" extension is required to add search functionality (included by default when you create a new solution). If you did not add the extension when you created the solution or you are modifying an existing solution, you can add the search module by right-clicking Modules (in the solution) and selecting "Add Module." Select "svySearch" and click "OK."

1. Drag a Text Field component onto the Form.
2. Right-click the Form and select "Open in Script Editor."
3. Create a new variable (JavaScript) to hold the search value:

   var searchText = '';
   

4. Back on the Form, in the Text Field properties:
   1. Set the "dataprovider" property to the Form variable you just created.
   2. Double-click to add a method for the onAction event.
   3. Click to create the method in "Form," name the method (e.g., onEnter), and click "Create private."
   4. Click "OK & Show."
5. Add the following JavaScript to the JavaScript file to use the Servoy framework to implement searching bound data based on the text in the Text Field:

   var search = scopes.svySearch.createSimpleSearch(foundset).setSearchText(searchText);
   search.setSearchAllColumns();
   search.loadRecords(foundset);
   

Save and Launch the App

Save the form and JavaScript file, then click Run -> Launch NGClient to start the web app.

Download a free, 30-day trial of the CData JDBC Driver for Sybase and start building Sybase-connected apps with Servoy. Reach out to our Support Team if you have any questions.