The odbc.ini file is a unixodbc configuration file that define data sources name (DSN).
Every DSN to which your application connects must have an entry in this file.
odbcinst (odbc installer) is the ODBC Installer and Uninstaller command line tool which can create/remove entries in odbc.ini and odbcinst.ini
It can still be done manually.
with odbcinst
odbcinst -j
unixODBC 2.3.2
DRIVERS............: /etc/odbcinst.ini
SYSTEM DATA SOURCES: /etc/odbc.ini
FILE DATA SOURCES..: /etc/ODBCDataSources
USER DATA SOURCES..: /u01/app/oracle/product/fmw/instances/instance1/bifoundation/OracleBIApplication/coreapplication/setup/odbc.ini
SQLULEN Size.......: 8
SQLLEN Size........: 8
SQLSETPOSIROW Size.: 8
Location and scope of the data source is done through the location of the file.
System-wide (ie application/process wide) data sources specifications.
The environment parameter ODBCINI configures its path: Example:
export ODBCINI=/u01/app/oracle/product/fmw/instances/instance1/bifoundation/OracleBIApplication/coreapplication/setup/odbc.ini
User-specific data sources specifications.
$HOME/.odbc.ini
## Equivalent to
~/.odbc.ini
The section [ODBC Data Sources] is use to list the data source defined.
[ODBC Data Sources]
my_new_dsn = Description of my DSN
The DSN section lists:
Example of a OBIEE DSN:
[my_new_dsn]
Driver = ORACLE_HOME/bifoundation/server/bin/call_interface.library_suffix
ServerMachine = local
Port = bi_server_port_number
ForwardOnlyCursor = No
SelectPhysical = No
Regional = Yes
man odbc.ini