Generic .NET ODBC Console Application

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This document describes a minimal, cross-platform .NET console application that connects to any ODBC-accessible database using an ODBC DSN (Data Source Name).

It is intended to run on any operating system (Windows, macOS, Linux etc) where:

• The .NET SDK or runtime is available
• A compatible ODBC driver is installed
• A working ODBC DSN has been configured

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What

This project is a simple .NET console application that:

• Uses the System.Data.Odbc provider
• Connects to a database via an ODBC DSN
• Executes a SQL query
• Prints results to standard output

It serves as a template or reference implementation for validating ODBCconnectivity from .NET across platforms.

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Why

This example is useful when you need to:

• Verify that an ODBC driver is correctly installed and configured
• Test database connectivity independently of vendor-specific SDKs
• Create a portable .NET database client that works across operating systems
• Use legacy or enterprise databases that expose ODBC but not native .NET drivers

Using ODBC provides a vendor-neutral abstraction layer, allowing the same application code to work with many different databases and operating systems simply by changing the ODBC DSN and SQL query.

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How

1. Project File (ODBCDemo.csproj)

This project file is intentionally minimal and portable.

<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk">

  <PropertyGroup>
    <OutputType>Exe</OutputType>
    <TargetFramework>net8.0</TargetFramework>
    <ImplicitUsings>enable</ImplicitUsings>
    <Nullable>enable</Nullable>
  </PropertyGroup>

  <ItemGroup>
    <PackageReference Include="System.Data.Odbc" Version="10.0.1" />
  </ItemGroup>

</Project>

Notes

• net8.0 can be replaced with another supported .NET version if required
• System.Data.Odbc is the only external dependency

2. Application Code (Program.cs)

This version uses placeholders so it can be adapted to any database and ODBC DSN.

using System;
using System.Data.Odbc;

namespace ODBCDemo
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            // TODO: Replace with your actual DSN, username, and password
            string connStr = "DSN=<YOUR_DSN_NAME>;UID=<USERNAME>;PWD=<PASSWORD>;";
            Console.WriteLine($"Using connection: {connStr}");

            using (OdbcConnection conn = new OdbcConnection(connStr))
            {
                try
                {
                    conn.Open();
                    Console.WriteLine("Connected to database via ODBC DSN!");

                    // TODO: Replace with a valid SQL query for your database
                    string sql = "SELECT <COLUMNS> FROM <SCHEMA>.<TABLE>";
                    using (OdbcCommand cmd = new OdbcCommand(sql, conn))
                    using (OdbcDataReader reader = cmd.ExecuteReader())
                    {
                        while (reader.Read())
                        {
                            // Example: print first column
                            Console.WriteLine(reader[0].ToString());
                        }
                    }

                    conn.Close();
                }
                catch (Exception ex)
                {
                    Console.WriteLine("Error: " + ex.Message);
                }
            }
        }
    }
}

Customization Points

• DSN=<YOUR_DSN_NAME> → Name of your configured ODBC DSN
• UID / PWD → Database authentication credentials
• SQL query → Must be valid for your target database dialect

3. ODBC DSN Configuration (OS-Independent Concept)

Although the tools differ by OS, the concept is the same everywhere:

• Install the appropriate ODBC driver for your database
• Create a ODBC DSN that references that driver
• Test the ODBC DSN using the OS-provided ODBC tools

Important considerations:

• Driver bitness (32-bit vs 64-bit) must match the .NET runtime
• System ODBC DSNs are recommended for non-interactive applications
• ODBC DSN names are case-sensitive on some platforms

4. Environment & Runtime Requirements

• .NET SDK or Runtime installed (dotnet --version to verify)
• ODBC driver properly installed and licensed if required
• ODBC DSN visible to the user or system context running the application

On non-Windows platforms, ensure:

• ODBCINI and ODBCINSTINI environment variables (if applicable) point to valid configuration files
• The driver shared libraries are discoverable by the runtime loader

5. Build & Run

From the project directory containing the ODBCDemo.csproj and program.cs files only, run the following command to build and run the .Net application:

dotnet clean
dotnet build -f net8.0
dotnet run -f net8.0

Notes

• Environment Variables on macOS**

export ODBCINI="$HOME/Library/ODBC/odbc.ini"
export ODBCSYSINI="/Library/ODBC"
export DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH="/opt/homebrew/lib"

For GUI apps:

launchctl setenv ODBCINI "$HOME/Library/ODBC/odbc.ini"
launchctl setenv ODBCSYSINI "/Library/ODBC"
launchctl setenv DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH "/opt/homebrew/lib"

6. Expected Output (Example)

Using connection: DSN=<YOUR_DSN_NAME>;UID=<USERNAME>;PWD=<PASSWORD>;
Connected to database via ODBC DSN!
<ROW_VALUE_1>
<ROW_VALUE_2>
<ROW_VALUE_3>
...

Actual output will depend on:

• The SQL query
• The database contents
• The column(s) selected

Summary

This template demonstrates the simplest possible ODBC-based .NET application:

• One project file
• One source file
• One DSN
• One SQL query

By changing only the ODBC DSN and SQL query, the same code can be reused across:

• Databases
• Vendors
• Operating systems

It is intended as a foundation, not a framework—ideal for diagnostics, demos, and integration validation.