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Connect to xBase Data in Ruby
Connect to xBase data in Ruby with ruby-dbi, dbd-odbc, and ruby-odbc.
The CData ODBC Driver for xBase makes it easy to integrate connectivity to live xBase data in Ruby. This article shows how to create a simple Ruby app that connects to xBase data, executes a query, and displays the results.
Create an ODBC Connection to xBase Data
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.
The DataSource property must be set to the name of the folder that contains the .dbf files. Specify the IncludeFiles property to work with xBase table files having extensions that differ from .dbf. Specify multiple extensions in a comma-separated list.
Installing Ruby and Necessary Gems
If you do not have Ruby installed, refer to the Ruby installation page. With Ruby installed, you will need to install the ruby-dbi, dbd-odbc, and ruby-odbc gems:
gem install dbi
gem install dbd-odbc
gem install ruby-odbc
Create a Ruby App with Connectivity to xBase Data
Create a new Ruby file (for example: xBaseSelect.rb) and open it in a text editor. Copy the following code into your file:
#connect to the DSN
require 'dbi'
cnxn = DBI.connect('DBI:ODBC:CData xBase Source','','')
#execute a SELECT query and store the result set
resultSet = cnxn.execute("SELECT Company, SUM(Total) FROM Invoices GROUP BY ContactName")
#display the names of the columns
resultSet.column_names.each do |name|
print name, "\t"
end
puts
#display the results
while row = resultSet.fetch do
(0..resultSet.column_names.size - 1).each do |n|
print row[n], "\t"
end
puts
end
resultSet.finish
#close the connection
cnxn.disconnect if cnxn
With the file completed, you are ready to display your xBase data with Ruby. To do so, simply run your file from the command line:
ruby xBaseSelect.rb
Writing SQL-92 queries to xBase allows you to quickly and easily incorporate xBase data into your own Ruby applications. Download a free trial today!
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xBase ODBC Driver
The xBase ODBC Driver is a powerful tool that allows you to connect with live xBase- compatible databases, directly from any applications that support ODBC connectivity.
Access xBase databases like FoxPro & Clipper (.dbf, .ndx, .ntx, .dbt, etc) from virtually anywhere through a standard ODBC Driver interface.
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