How do I install an Easysoft ODBC driver on a machine where I have no root access?

  1. Download the driver distribution from the Easysoft web site. Copy the distribution file to the home directory on the machine where you want to install the driver.
  2. On this machine, set the EASYSOFT_ROOT environment variable to point to:
    installation_path/easysoft

    where installation_path is the directory under which you want to install the driver. All files are installed in an easysoft subdirectory of the installation_path you specify. For example, if you want to install the driver under /home/myuser, enter this command:

    export EASYSOFT_ROOT=/home/myuser/easysoft
  3. Create a directory where you want the unixODBC configuration files to be located. Set the ODBCSYSINI environment variable to point to this directory. For example:
    cd
    mkdir odbc
    export ODBCSYSINI=/home/myuser/odbc

    The installation script creates an odbcinst.ini and odbc.ini file in the directory you specify. odbcinst.ini contains an entry for the Easysoft ODBC driver. odbc.ini contains the ODBC data source created by the installation.

  4. Set the environment variables needed by the Easysoft ODBC driver. For example:
    export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$LD_LIBRARY_PATH:$EASYSOFT_ROOT/lib:$EASYSOFT_ROOT/unixODBC/lib:$EASYSOFT_ROOT/sqlserver

    Refer to the Easysoft ODBC driver documentation to find out which environment variables you need to set (LD_LIBRARY_PATH, LIBPATH, LD_RUN_PATH, SHLIB_PATH, or ORACLE_HOME depending on the driver, platform, and linker).

  5. Unpack the Easysoft ODBC driver distribution. For example:
    tar -xvf odbc-sqlserver-2.2.0-sunos-sparc.tar
  6. cd to the directory created by unpacking the distribution. Run the installation. For example:
    cd odbc-sqlserver-2.2.0-sunos-sparc
    ./install
  7. When prompted, continue with the installation as a non-root user. For example:
    Parts of this installation requires the installer to be the root user and you do not appear to be root.
    **WARNING**
    You can still install the Easysoft ODBC-SQL Server Driver but the
    installation will be unable to update the dynamic linker search paths
    or install the driver under the unixODBC Driver Manager (the latter is
    not necessary).  You may complete these processes manually by consulting
    the INSTALL file in the current directory.
    Do you want to continue with the installation? (y/n) [n]: y
  8. Specify the directory under which you want the driver to be installed. For example:
    Enter a base install directory (q=quit) [ /usr/local ]: /home/myuser

    Note Don't append /easysoft to the directory you specify. The installation automatically creates the easysoft subdirectory. So, if, before running the installation, you set EASYSOFT_ROOT to /home/myuser/easysoft, you would specify /home/myuser not /home/myuser/easysoft.

  9. Make sure you install the unixODBC Driver Manager that's included with the Easysoft ODBC driver:
    Do you want to use your installed unixODBC DM in preference to the
    version included with this distribution? (y/n [n]) : n
  10. Request an Easysoft ODBC driver license when prompted. For example:
    Would you like to request a Easysoft ODBC Driver for SQL Server license
    now (y/n) [y]: y
  11. When the installation completes, configure your ODBC driver data source. To do this, open $ODBCSYSINI/odbc.ini in a text editor, and then edit the sample data source created by the installation.
  12. If you are using the client-based Oracle ODBC driver, open $ODBCSYSINI/odbcinst.ini in a text editor. In the Driver and Setup lines, replace /usr/local with your installation path, for example, /home/myuser. Otherwise, skip this step.
  13. Test your data source. For example:
    cd $EASYSOFT_ROOT/unixODBC/bin
    ./isql -v my_easysoft_sample_data_source