README for FreeTDS

* to build FreeTDS read the file INSTALL,
* see also the FreeTDS Users Guide,
http://www.freetds.org/userguide/book1.html

FreeTDS is a free (open source) implementation of Sybase's db-lib,
ct-lib, and ODBC libraries. Currently, dblib and ctlib are most
mature.  Both of these libraries have several programs known to
compile and run against them.  ODBC is not quite as mature, but may
work depending on your needs.

Submissions of test programs (self-contained programs that demonstrate
functionality or problems) are greatly appreciated.  They should
create any tables needed (since we obviously don't have access to your
database) and populate them.  One possible exception is test code that
works against the pubs2 database. Unit tests for any of the libraries
is appreciated

FreeTDS will run at protocol versions 4.2, 5.0 and 7.0 and thus can
access both Sybase and Microsoft SQL-Servers.  Note: Microsoft SQL
servers do not support TDS version 5.0 and need to be configured with
the --with-tdsver=4.2 flag.

Support for TDS 7.0 (the version used by MS SQL Server 7.0) is now
included.  It is not as mature as the other protocol versions, but is
required to access large (more than 255 character) char/varchar
fields.  That said, TDS 7.0 support can be configured by using the
--with-tdsver=7.0 when running configure.

FreeTDS is licensed under the Gnu LGPL license. See COPYING.LIB for
details.


Bug Submissions
---------------

If you want your bugs actually fixed in a timely manner (and who
doesn't!?), any bug submissions (to the mailing list or the bug
tracking system) should include the following.

1) a small program demonstrating the problem.  This can be in C, PHP,
   Perl, or simply the SQL if it is reproducable in SQSH.

2) The DDL for your table(s) from the SQL above.  A lot of bugs can be
   particular to one datatype and without this information it'll be
   hard to determine your problem.  A simple list of column names,
   datatypes, and lengths would also be acceptable if you can't get or
   don't know how to produce the DDL. (output from sp_help <tablename>
   will do this nicely)

3) The version of FreeTDS you are running, but in general try to get
   the lastest snapshot or CVS version before reporting a bug.

4) The TDS protocol version.  It's the --with-tdsver flag you
   configured with 5.0 as the default.  Many bugs are protocol
   specific and you may just get a 'works for me' if you don't say
   which version.

5) Your platform e.g. Redhat 7.0, Solaris 2.6, Linux 2.2.14, anything
   close will do.  This is especially important if you are on a big
   endian platform (Power/PowerPC, Sparc, etc... ), a 64bit platform
   (Alpha), or you are experiencing an bus error because of unaligned
   access (Sparc mostly).  'uname -a' should produce this info.

6) The type and version of the server you are connecting to.  You can
   send the query 'select @@version' to get this information.

Also, be sure to check the FAQ (http://www.freetds.org/faq.html) and
mailing list archive
(http://franklin.oit.unc.edu/cgi-bin/lyris.pl?enter=freetds)

Notes to Developers
-------------------

The code is split into several pieces.

1) tds directory is the wire level stuff, it should be independant of
   the library using it, this will allow DB-Lib, CT-Lib, and ODBC to
   sit on top.

2) dblib directory. This is the actual dblib code which runs on top of
   tds.

3) ctlib directory. This is the ctlib code which runs on top of tds. 

4) server directory. This will be a set of server routines basically
   to impersonate a dataserver, functions like send_login_ack() etc...

5) odbc directory. ODBC implementation over tds.  Uses iODBC or
   unixODBC as a driver manager.  You need to have one of those if you
   are using the ODBC CLI.

6) unittests directories. Test harness code for ctlib, dblib and tds.

6) samples directories. Sample code for getting started with Perl,
   PHP, etc...

7) pool directory. A connection pooling server for TDS.  Useful if you
   have a connection limited license.  Needs some hacking to get
   configured but is quite stable once configured correctly. Contact
   the list if interested in how to use it.

Please look at doc/getting_started.txt for a description of what is
going on in the code.

Side note: I, as many free software authors, appreciate postcards from
all over. So if you live someplace neat (read: not Michigan) and want
to send one, email me (camber@ais.org) for my current snail mail
address.