Connect Typeform to IBM WebSphere Using the CData JDBC Driver

Anusha M B
Technical Marketing Engineer

Use the CData JDBC Driver to connect Typeform with IBM WebSphere for seamless data integration and connectivity.

IBM WebSphere is a powerful application server that runs many enterprise level Java applications and services. When paired with the CData API Driver for JDBC, IBM WebSphere applications can connect to Typeform and work with data using standard SQL queries instead of complex APIs. This simplifies integration, reduces development effort, and provides secure, real-time access to critical business data.

Prerequisites

Access to a Typeform account (with API permissions)
IBM WebSphere Application Server (configured and running)
CData API Driver for JDBC
Java Servlet WAR application ready for deployment

Note: This article uses Salesforce as a demonstration data source, but the same steps can be followed to connect to any of the 250+ JDBC Drivers available in our portfolio.

Getting Started

Step 1: Download and install the CData API Driver for JDBC

Download and install the CData API Driver for JDBC, which provides a .jar file: cdata.jdbc.api.jar

Step 2: Install and configure IBM Websphere

Create an account in IBM WebSphere using the official IBM site.
Install and configure the IBM Websphere Application server in the local system using the documentation: IBM Websphere Application Server
Once the application server is installed, start the WebSphere Server using the Admin Console in your browser: https://your-server:9043/ibm/console

Step 3: Set up the JDBC provider and data source for Typeform

Go to Resources, expand the JDBC section, and then select JDBC providers to create a new provider

Select the appropriate scope from the drop down menu

Click New to add a JDBC provider

Choose User defined as the database type
Enter cdata.jdbc.api.APIConnectionPoolDataSource as the implementation class name
Type a name for the provider, for example User defined JDBC Provider
Enter the full path of the JDBC driver JAR file in the classpath field
Click Next, then Finish, and save the changes to the master configuration.

Once the JDBC provider is created, add a JDBC data source.

Enter the basic details such as Data Source Name and JNDI name
Select the existing JDBC provider created earlier (e.g., CData Typeform Provider)
Provide the Implementation class name: cdata.jdbc.api.APIConnectionPoolDataSource
Add the Data Store Helper Class Name: com.ibm.websphere.rsadapter.GenericDataStoreHelper
Configure security by setting authentication aliases if required
Review the Summary page to verify all details and click Finish to complete the data source creation

Select the newly created data source from the list and open Custom properties
Add the JDBC connection string under the URL property and press OK. For example:
```
jdbc:api:RTK=5246...;Profile=C:\profiles\TypeForm.apip;Authscheme=OAuth;OAuthClientId=your_client_id;OAuthClientSecret=your_client_secret;CallbackUrl=your_callback_url;
```
Start by setting the Profile connection property to the location of the TypeForm Profile on disk (e.g. C:\profiles\TypeForm.apip). Next, set the ProfileSettings connection property to the connection string for TypeForm (see below).

TypeForm API Profile Settings

Authentication to TypeForm uses the OAuth standard.

To authenticate to TypeForm, you must first register and configure an OAuth application with TypeForm here: https://admin.typeform.com/account#/section/tokens. Your app will be assigned a client ID and a client secret which can be set in the connection string. More information on setting up an OAuth application can be found at https://developer.typeform.com/get-started/.
Note that there are several different use scenarios which all require different redirect URIs:
- CData Desktop Applications: CData desktop applications (Sync, API Server, ArcESB) accept OAuth tokens at /src/oauthCallback.rst. The host and port is the same as the default port used by the application. For example, if you use http://localhost:8019/ to access CData Sync then the redirect URI will be http://localhost:8019/src/oauthCallback.rst.
- CData Cloud Applications: CData cloud applications are similar to their desktop counterparts. If you access Connect AI at https://1.2.3.4/ then you should use the redirect https://1.2.3.4/src/oauthCallback.rst.
- Desktop Application: When using a desktop application, the URI https://localhost:33333 is recommended.
- Web Application: When developing a web application using the driver, use your own URI here such as https://my-website.com/oauth.
After setting the following connection properties, you are ready to connect:
- AuthScheme: Set this to OAuth.
- InitiateOAuth: Set this to GETANDREFRESH. You can use InitiateOAuth to manage the process to obtain the OAuthAccessToken.
- OAuthClientId: Set this to the Client Id that is specified in your app settings.
- OAuthClientSecret: Set this to Client Secret that is specified in your app settings.
- CallbackURL: Set this to the Redirect URI you specified in your app settings.
Built-in Connection String Designer

For assistance in constructing the JDBC URL, use the connection string designer built into the Typeform JDBC Driver. Either double-click the JAR file or execute the jar file from the command-line.
```
      java -jar cdata.jdbc.api.jar
      
```
Fill in the connection properties and copy the connection string to the clipboard.
Note: If the URL property is not available, create it and then add the JDBC connection string.
Tip: Always test the connection string with the driver before entering it in the URL property.
Now open the data source and choose Test Connection

Step 4: Build the web application

Build the web application using preferred Java framework (Servlet, JSP, or Spring). The resulting .war file will typically follow a structure like this:

		TypeformServletApp.war
		|--webcontent
		|  |--index.jsp                 -- JSP page (entry point)
		|  |
		|  |--WEB-INF/                  --Hidden from direct browser access
		|     |--web.xml                 -- Deployment descriptor
		|     |
		|     |--classes/                  --Compiled .class files
		|       |--com/example/Typeform/
		|          |--TypeformServlet.class
		|
		|--lib/                      --Dependency JARs
		|--cdata.jdbc.typeform.jar

Define the data access logic using JDBC or JPA, referencing the data source through a JNDI name
This article walks through JDBC connection setup and deploying a Java Servlet application
Package the project as a WAR (Web Application Archive) or EAR (Enterprise Archive) file for deployment

In a terminal compile the java file using the command:

			cd webcontent
			jar cvf ..\TypeformServletApp.war *

Step 5: Deploy the Typeform application in WebSphere

In the WebSphere admin console, go to Applications and select Install New Application
Browse and upload the WAR file, then continue with the installation wizard.

Step 6: Retrieve Typeform data through WebSphere

Access the application using its context root: http://hostname:port/context-root/page

Note: Ensure the deployed application is started before opening it in the browser.

We can now view the retrieved data from the source. The data is accessible directly through IBM WebSphere. This setup demonstrates how a servlet can be deployed in WebSphere to retrieve Typeform data using the JDBC driver, creating a strong foundation for building advanced Typeform powered enterprise applications.

Get Started with Connecting Typeform to IBM WebSphere

Start connecting Typeform to IBM WebSphere with the CData JDBC Connector today. Download the free 30-day trial and explore how easy it is to enable secure, real-time data access for your applications. As always, our world-class Support Team is available to help with any questions you may have.

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