Transoft Developers

From U/SQL 4.21, the U/SQL Client Installation was changed so that, if the U/SQL Client is installed on x64 Windows, both the 64 bit and 32 bit Transoft ODBC drivers will be installed.

The 64 bit Transoft ODBC driver DLLs are:

• tsods64.dll
• tsodbc64.dll

x64 Windows platforms include two versions of the Microsoft Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) Data Source Administrator (odbcad32.exe) :

• The 32-bit version of the Odbcad32.exe file is located in the %WINDIR%\SysWoW64 folder.
• The 64-bit version of the Odbcad32.exe file is located in the %WINDIR%\System32 folder.

To create a new 64 bit DSN, for example books.udd

1. Install U/SQL 64 bit client on an x64 Windows machine
2. Use the 64-bit ODBC Administrator to add a new data source. Choose the 64 bit Transoft ODBC Driver.
3. Connect this 64 bit DSN to any U/SQL Server, either on Windows or on UNIX.

This post provides information about running U/SQL product on the Windows x64 platforms.

Windows XP Professional x64 and Windows Server 2003 x64 both use an emulation layer called “Windows on Windows x64” (“WOW64”), to enable 32-bit applications to function as if they were running under 32-bit windows.

WOW64 provides interoperability between 64-bit and 32-bit applications for scenarios such as cut / copy / paste and COM.

WOW64 is very nearly invisible to applications and to users, but there are a few instances where the differences between 32-bit Windows and 64-bit Windows must be noted.

For more information on differences between 32-bit Windows and Windows x64:

For Windows XP x64:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/64bit/default.mspx

For Windows Server 2003 x64:
http://www.microsoft.com/servers/64bit/overview.mspx

For more information about Windows on Windows x64 (“WOW64”), see:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa384274.aspx

U/SQL Installation on Windows x64

The installation process for USQL on Windows x64 is the same as that for 32bit editions of Windows, though because of the “WOW64” emulation layer, some installation prompts may default to different values.

For instance, the default installation location for the USQL Client files on Windows x32 is:
C:\Program Files\USQLC
 
For the USQL Client installation running under Windows x64 edition, this becomes:
C:\Program Files (x86)\USQLC

The default USQL Server installation location remains unchanged, (C:\USQLCS).

(For 32-bit programs, Windows x64 provides new default installation targets for Program Files and Common Program Files):

C:\Program Files (x86)

C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files
 

Windows x64 Redirection

The “Windows x32 on Windows x64” (WOW64) platform provides 32-bit application services in a native 64-bit environment. To make sure that the 32-bit applications are kept separate from the 64-bit applications, WOW64 does some file and registry redirection.
 

File System Redirection

Windows x64 editions use file redirection for 32-bit programs to ensure that they work correctly in the 64-bit Windows environment.

For instance, if you attempt to copy a 32-bit program or DLL file into the WINDOWS\SYSTEM32 folder on a Windows x64 system, the file will appear to be copied to the SYSTEM32 folder, and file properties may even report the file is in the SYSTEM32 folder, but the file will actually be copied to the WINDOWS\SysWOW64 folder.
 

Registry Redirection

Windows x64 editions use registry redirection for 32-bit programs to ensure that they work correctly in the 64-bit Windows environment.

For instance, any registry entries written by a 32-bit program to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software registry key will actually get redirected to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Wow6432Node registry key instead. 

When a 32-bit application attempts to read from HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software, it gets redirected to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Wow6432Node instead.

Windows x64 ODBC changes

The Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) driver interface has been revised for Windows x64.

The ODBC Data Source Administrator has remained visually unchanged, but, being a native 64-bit application, it only sees native 64-bit ODBC Drivers.

Very few native 64-bit ODBC drivers are currently available for Windows x64, the only 64-bit ODBC driver available from Microsoft is the 64-bit SQL Server driver.

32bit ODBC drivers can still be installed as on 32-bit Windows. For example, Microsoft Office 2003 will still correctly install the Access, Excel, Text, dBase, Paradox and FoxPro ODBC drivers.

These do not display in the 64-bit ODBC Data Source Administrator, but can still be accessed from the 32-bit ODBC Administrator, and by any 32-bit programs that use ODBC connectivity.

The 32-bit ODBC Administrator is located:
%WINDIR%\SysWOW64\ODBCAD32.EXE

(Where %WINDIR% is the folder Windows is installed in, – often C:\Windows or C:\WIN).

Note: The 64-bit and 32-bit ODBC Administrator programs are visually identical, and both show “ODBC Data Source Administrator” on their Window title bars.
 

32bit User Data Source Issues

As previously discussed, Windows x64 redirects registry reads and writes by 32-bit programs to ensure compatibility. However, it does NOT do this for the HKEY_CURRENT_USER key, since applications (both 64-bit and 32-bit) will still need to read and write data to this area.

Because WOW64’s redirection of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software registry key, the 32-bit ODBC Administrator will only display 32-bit System Data Source names, and the 64-bit ODBC Administrator will only display 64-bit System Data Source Names.

However, data sources created in the “User DSN” tab of the ODBC Administrator are created in the HKEY_CURRENT_User\Software key, which is shared for 64-bit and 32-bit programs. This means that any “User Data Source” created from either the 64-bit or 32-bit ODBC Administrator will display on both ODBC Administrator screens.

When you click “Configure” or “Remove” on any 32-bit User Data Source from the 64-bit ODBC Administrator, or vice versa, you will see errors.

U/SQL 4.30 is now available.

The release notice, product documentation and other useful utilities can be found at  ftp://ftp2.transoft.com/pub/CDextras/USQL/README.htm.

New Features include:

Query Profiler

The Query Profiler can be used to monitor the performance of SQL queries. It has been designed as a diagnostic tool, providing detailed information about the timing and source of your SQL queries. One of the benefits of this is the ability to quickly identify the source of inefficient queries.

U/SQL HTTP Server

The U/SQL HTTP Server, introduced in engine revision 4.20.0100, extends the query facilities available in U/SQL to allow remote HTTP access to your U/SQL Server instance.

Accessed via your Internet browser, the HTTP Server is a quick and easy way to interrogate your UDD and data.

Windows VISTA

U/SQL Multi-Tier Server, U/SQL Single Tier Server and the U/SQL Client can all be installed on Microsoft Windows VISTA.

64 bit U/SQL Client

A 64 bit version of the U/SQL client DLL named tsodbc64.dll has been produced. This will enable people with 64 bit applications access data through U/SQL.

Extended SQL Support

U/SQL now handles SELECT and INSERT queries that use a sub-query with an ORDER BY clause.

Security in multi-company data.

A new command has been implemented:  EXCLUDE  allows users to be excluded from any access to the data if the Substitution is set to a specific value.

U/FOS

Allow access to remote UFOS databases using .unp files.

ACUCOBOL

U/SQL on Windows is now available for ACUCOBOL versions 7.3 and 8.0.