ODBC object and SQL

[DavidN]

I've been trying to use the ODBC object to connect directly to an SQL server for the purposes of an online high score table, rather than sending the data in a URL to a PHP page, as I did before. (I'm aware that that sentence is largely composed of acronyms, but I can't word it any better).

Trouble is, I can't connect to the SQL server - I'm certain that I'm putting the address in correctly (it's copied straight out of the old PHP page), but I keep getting SQL error 11004 - Connection failed, followed by SQL error 6 - Cannot connect to the SQL server. (This is at the "Create new data source" stage of the process - I'm using the "SQL Server" driver.)

I suspect that it might be to do with the server only allowing connections from specific places. Has anyone else had better luck with this kind of thing?

[DavidN]

I've been trying to use the ODBC object to connect directly to an SQL server for the purposes of an online high score table, rather than sending the data in a URL to a PHP page, as I did before. (I'm aware that that sentence is largely composed of acronyms, but I can't word it any better).

Trouble is, I can't connect to the SQL server - I'm certain that I'm putting the address in correctly (it's copied straight out of the old PHP page), but I keep getting SQL error 11004 - Connection failed, followed by SQL error 6 - Cannot connect to the SQL server. (This is at the "Create new data source" stage of the process - I'm using the "SQL Server" driver.)

I suspect that it might be to do with the server only allowing connections from specific places. Has anyone else had better luck with this kind of thing?

[AndyH]

Databases provided by Webhosts are normally behind a firewall and as such you probably never be allowed to connect to it from outside the webserver. Your PHP will connect to it because it runs on the server your host provides and is set up that way.

Have you tried to connect to your SQL Server from your PC with other applications (eg: create an ODBC connection from Excel) ? If you can't connect with other applications then there's your answer.

[AndyH]

Databases provided by Webhosts are normally behind a firewall and as such you probably never be allowed to connect to it from outside the webserver. Your PHP will connect to it because it runs on the server your host provides and is set up that way.

Have you tried to connect to your SQL Server from your PC with other applications (eg: create an ODBC connection from Excel) ? If you can't connect with other applications then there's your answer.

[DavidN]

It's not a database provided by a webserver, but you're probably right nonetheless. The PHP route it is, then.

[DavidN]

It's not a database provided by a webserver, but you're probably right nonetheless. The PHP route it is, then.