Connecting to Informix

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[Contributed by Zachi Klopman]

For an existing SQL file:

• Right click on the editor (not on the explorer). Choose "set connection info".
• You will be asked for a connection profile type and name. Assuming this is the first time, you will need to create on, so click on the [Create...] button.
• A new dialog will appear - click on "SQL Model-JDBC Connection" and then [Next>].
• Give your new connection a name (say, "xtz") and an optional description. (You may also choose auto-connect at this stage). Then [Next>].
• You need to select a driver. Assuming this is the first time, you will need to create one - click on [...]. A new dialog "Driver Definitions" will open.
• Scroll to Informix, choose appropriate version and click [Add...]
• A new dialog "New Driver Definition" will open. Choose "Informix JDBC Driver" template, give a name, set "Edit New Driver Immediately" and [OK].
• Point to the location of the ifxjdbc.jar file.
• In the URL line you must set the host, port, database (important!) and INFORMXISERVER. you may also set a user id, password and database name in the following lines.
• Click [OK].
• Now choose the driver you just created and [OK].
• You will now have the details filled in, and you can change them at will - and always remember to [Test Connection]!.
• If you get "Ping succeeded!", you are fine, and click [Finish]. You can now hook up to the database and do other useful stuff.

If you get "Ping Failed", look at [details]. Here are some easy problems to fix:

Wrong hostname or port:

java.sql.SQLException: com.informix.asf.IfxASFException: Attempt to
connect to database server (<INFORMIXSERVER>) failed.

Wrong database name (or no connect permission):

java.sql.SQLException: Database not found or no system permission.

Wrong username:

java.sql.SQLException: Incorrect password or user
com.informix.asf.IfxASFRemoteException: u...@host.domain is not known
on the database server.

As an exercise for the reader, figure out what this error message means:

java.sql.SQLException: User (com.informix.asf.IfxASFRemoteException:
infor...@host.domain)'s password is not correct for the database
server.