Connection to SQL Server

[Malcolm Garbett]

Hi all,

 

Background:

 

Starting a new job where they are using Filemaker amongst other things.

 

Downloaded the 30 day trial.

 

I went to connect to a SQL database but it doesn't appear as a driver.

 

Go to the site and was given a "trial" driver which is for a Mac.

 

Question:

 

On my laptop at home - Windows 7 -  where I have a SQL Server (2008 R2) instance running, how can I connect to it from my Filemaker (trial version) in order to import data?

 

 

 

[Wim Decorte]

You need to install the MS SQL ODBC drivers, you can get those from the MS website, that part has nothing to do with FM.  Then you set up a System DSN using that driver (in the Windows ODBC control panel) and then you can target that DSN from inside FM for the "import from ODBC source" and "execute SQL" script steps.

 

If your file was hosted on FileMaker Server you could add the DSN on the server and use the FileMaker "External SQL Sources" feature to interact with the data more natively (beyond just importing from and pushing to SQL Server).

[Malcolm Garbett]

You need to install the MS SQL ODBC drivers, you can get those from the MS website, that part has nothing to do with FM.  Then you set up a System DSN using that driver (in the Windows ODBC control panel) and then you can target that DSN from inside FM for the "import from ODBC source" and "execute SQL" script steps.

 

If your file was hosted on FileMaker Server you could add the DSN on the server and use the FileMaker "External SQL Sources" feature to interact with the data more natively (beyond just importing from and pushing to SQL Server).

Thanks.

 

Very clear.  

 

Will have a go later in the week.

[Eva Arriaga]

I am not sure this is not the right place to post this question, but I get so lost in the Forum!!

 

Do you know if FM server 12 and FMP11 client are compatible with  MS SQLserver 2012 ??

 

I am trying to connect with the SQL native client System DSN and get authentication error when trying to select the EDS tables--I used to be able to connect to MS SQL 2005.

 

I want to use FM as the front end of SQL 12 tables, just to read them for now.

 

All boxes Windows 7 servers, a FM server box 32bit, a SQL server box 64bit, and my local windows 7 box 64bit. 

 

the System DSN I have it installed in my box, is that correct? Should it be both 32 and 64?

 

Wim, I would appreciate your advise or to be pointed to good resource, or even your consulting help.

 

Let me know,
Eva

 

[email protected]

[Wim Decorte]

As an FYI: you mention both FMS12 and FMP11; those don't go together.

 

FMS12 is not certified with SQL Server 2012 so it may not work for ESS.  SQL Server 2008 is.

 

For ESS to work on FMS12, the DSN has to be configured on the server box, not on your machine.

[Lee Smith]

I moved this topic from "FileMaker Pro 12" to "External Data Sources” because the General Topics are reserved for the discussion of the New Tools, that were part of that particular rerelease of FileMaker and not for asking How-To Questions.

[Eva Arriaga]

Thanks!

 

My mistake, actually I have FMServer 10 on windows server 2003  and clients on FMP11 on Windows 7..

 

The MS sql is 2012 on a Windows 2008R2..  My question, is  where do I put the system dsn?  and on 64bit or 32??

Thank you!!

 

And Wim, when you say the server box, is it the FM server or the SQL server?

[Wim Decorte]

Ay, FMS10...  I would not assume that ESS is going to work with SQL 2012, so test carefully!  And don't commit to it until you have tested everything.

 

As to the DSN & ODBC driver: yes on the FileMaker Server box

And it's got to be 32-bit.  FMS did not become 64-bit until FMS12.

[Eva Arriaga]

Hi Wim!

 

So, then I am where I started, because that is already installed, it use to work when I had SQL 2005, but now it gives me a authentication error..

 

 

Now, how about if I forget about using the FM server 10.--since this interface would only be for me.

 

If I use the FMPadvance 12 that exist in my local Window 7 64bit  machine, and try to use that to connect to SQL 2012 on Window 2008R2 64bit.. In this case,  I guess I would install the ODBC drive and System DSN 64bit, in my local machine??  is that right??

 

Gosh it is complicated!!

 

Thank you very much!

[Wim Decorte]

Yes, it's a bit of a dance...

 

Only FM13 is certified to work with SQL 2012 through ESS, so see if you can grab a copy of FM13.

 

You would indeed set up the DSN and ODBC driver on your own machine in this case, but it would still be the 32-bit version since FMP is 32-bit, even on a 64-bit machine.

 

If you can, see if you can pick up a copy of the FTS for FM13, there are very detailed explanations on this and it actually uses a connection to SQL 2012 as the example.

[Eva Arriaga]

I will!! thank you!