# Connecting to dBase Databases

ColdFusion lets you access dBase databases from both Windows NT and UNIX, via ODBC drivers.

## Configuring dBase Options (Windows)

If ColdFusion Server is installed on a Windows NT server, you can configure Microsoft SQL Server as a ColdFusion data source using any either an ODBC or OLE DB driver.

| ODBC: Microsoft dBase and FoxPro Driver Options (Windows)

The following table describes ColdFusion ODBC options for dBase data sources. You set these options when you configure a ColdFusion data source. See "Adding Data Sources for ColdFusion" for more information

Microsoft dBase Driver and Microsoft FoxPro driver ODBC Options
Option | Description
--- | ---
Data Source Name | A name for your ODBC data source.
Description | Descriptive information about the data source.
Database Directory | The path dBase database you want to use as an ODBC data source.
Database Version | Enter the version number of the dBase or FoxPro database you want to use. ColdFusion supports dBase versions III, IV, and 5.0 and FoxPro versions
Driver Settings | Collating Sequence -- Select the collating sequence you want to use. The collating sequence determines the sequence in which the fields are sorted.
Page Timeout -- Specifies the period of time, in tenths of a second, that a page (if not used) remains in the buffer before being removed.

## Configuring Inprise dBase Options (UNIX)

If ColdFusion Server is installed on a Solaris server, you can configure dBase as a ColdFusion data source using an ODBC driver.

| ODBC: MERANT dBase/FoxPro Options (Solaris)

You set these options when you configure a ColdFusion data source. See "Adding Data Sources for ColdFusion" for more information

MERANT dBase/FoxPro Driver ODBC Options
Option | Description
--- | ---
Data Source Name | A name for your ODBC data source.
Description | A short description of the data source.
Database Directory | The name, including the complete path, of the database file you want to use as the ODBC data source.
Database Version | The version number of the dBase/FoxPro database you want to use.
Driver Settings | Use lowercase file extension (.dbf) -- Specifies whether lowercase file extensions are accepted. If enabled, lowercase extensions are accepted. If disabled, only uppercase extensions are accepted.
Use international collating sequence -- Determines the order in which records are retrieved when you issue a Select statement with an Order By clause. If you don't set this option, the driver automatically uses the ASCII sort order. This order sorts items alphabetically with uppercase letters preceding lowercase letters. For example, "A, b, C" would be sorted as "A, C, b." If you do set this option, the driver uses the international sort order as defined by your operating system. This sort order is always alphabetic, regardless of case; the letters from the previous example would be sorted as "A, b, C."