Using a Connection String

For some applications, you might need to use a connection string to connect to your data source. For detailed information about how to use a connection string in an ODBC application, refer to the documentation for the application that you are using.

The connection strings in the following sections are examples showing the minimum set of connection attributes that you must specify to successfully connect to the data source. Depending on the configuration of the data source and the type of connection you are working with, you might need to specify additional connection attributes. For detailed information about all the attributes that you can use in the connection string, see .

Note:

If the server does not support HTTPS connections or SSL verification, then you must disable those features by setting additional properties in your connection string. For more information, see Configuring SSL Verification or Configuring SSL Verification.

DSN Connection String Example

The following is an example of a connection string for a connection that uses a DSN:

DSN=[DataSourceName]

[DataSourceName] is the DSN that you are using for the connection.

You can set additional configuration options by appending key-value pairs to the connection string. Configuration options that are passed in using a connection string take precedence over configuration options that are set in the DSN.

DSN-less Connection String Example

Some applications provide support for connecting to a data source using a connector without a DSN. To connect to a data source without using a DSN, use a connection string instead. You can connect to the data source using either SQLBrowseConnect or SQLDriverConnect.

The placeholders in the example are defined as follows, in alphabetical order:

  • [YourAccessToken] is your access token for authenticating to PayPal.
  • [YourClientID] is the client ID associated with your PayPal application.
  • [YourClientSecret] is the client secret associated with your PayPal application.
  • [YourInstanceURL] is the URL of the PayPal instance that you are connecting to.
  • [YourPath] is the full path of the .pem file containing trusted CA certificates for verifying the server during SSL authentication.

Connecting to PayPal Using an Access Token

The following is the format of a DSN-less connection string for connecting to PayPal using an access token:

Driver=Simba PayPal ODBC Driver;Host=[YourInstanceURL];
Auth_Type=Access Token;Auth_AccessToken=[YourAccessToken]

For example:

Driver=Simba PayPal ODBC Driver;Host=api.sandbox.paypal.com;
Auth_Type=Access Token;Auth_AccessToken=kN9PcyQ9prK4LvUMMMpFL4R+lVE=

Connecting to PayPal Using an Access Token With OAuth 2.0

The following is the format of a DSN-less connection string for connecting to PayPal using an access token:

Driver=Simba PayPal ODBC Driver;Host=[YourInstanceURL];
Auth_Type=OAuth_2.0;Auth_AccessToken=[YourAccessToken]

For example:

Driver=Simba PayPal ODBC Driver;Host=api.sandbox.paypal.com;
Auth_Type=OAuth_2.0;Auth_AccessToken=kN9PcyQ9prK4LvUMMMpFL4R+lVE=

Connecting to PayPal Using Windows Trust Store

The following is the format of a DSN-less connection string for connecting to the PayPal server that requires SSL and uses the Windows trust store:

Driver=Simba PayPal ODBC Driver;Host=[YourInstanceURL];Auth_Type=Access Token;Auth_AccessToken=[YourAccessToken];SystemTrustStore=1;

For example:

Driver=Simba PayPal ODBC Driver;Host=api.sandbox.paypal.com;Auth_Type=OAuth_2.0;Auth_AccessToken=
kN9PcyQ9prK4LvL4R+lVE=;SystemTrustStore=1;

The following is the format of a DSN-less connection string for connecting to the PayPal server that requires SSL and uses the path provided in the TrustCertsPath property:

Driver=Simba PayPal ODBC Driver;Host=[YourInstanceURL];Auth_Type=Access Token;Auth_AccessToken=[YourAccessToken];SystemTrustStore=0;TrustCertsPath=[YourPath];

For example:

Driver=Simba PayPal ODBC Driver;Host=api.sandbox.paypal.com;Auth_AccessToken=
kN9PcyQ9prK4LvL4R+lVE=;SystemTrustStore=0;TrustCertsPath=C:\Users\JSmith\Desktop\Cert\PayPal.pem;

Connecting to PayPal Using Your PayPal App Information (SQLBrowseConnect only)

The following is the format of a DSN-less connection string for connecting to PayPal using your PayPal app information. The connector initiates an OAuth 2.0 authentication flow based on your credentials and then uses the retrieved access token to authenticate the connection. For more information, see OAuth 2.0 Authentication.

Driver=Simba PayPal ODBC Driver;Host=[YourInstanceURL];Auth_Type=OAuth_2.0;Auth_Client_ID=[YourClientID];Auth_Client_Secret=[YourClientSecret]

For example:

Driver=Simba PayPal ODBC Driver;Host=api.sandbox.paypal.com;
Auth_Type=OAuth_2.0;Auth_Client_ID=ABCABCABC123ABCABC45;Auth_Client_Secret=abCD+E1f2Gxhi3J4klmN/OP5QrSTuvwXYzabcdEF