Product DescriptionSQL Tools provides comprehensive, procedure-based
SQL database support for 32-bit Windows programs.Feature List
Database Functions
Sample Programs
SQL Tools Main Page
What's the difference between Standard and Pro?
Why are there two of everything?
SQL Tools allows you to use the worldwide-standard SQL Language in your PowerBASIC for Windows and Visual Basic programs. The entire SQL language is supported, using 100% standard syntax. SQL Tools does not impose any limitations on the SQL syntax that is supported by your ODBC drivers.
SQL Tools is 100% procedural -- you perform database operations with simple functions like SQL_OpenDatabase and SQL_Statement -- so there are no handles, objects, methods, properties, or Windows API calls to worry about.
SQL Tools provides all of the functions you need to write programs that can create, access, query, and modify SQL databases. You can use any type of database for which a driver is available: Microsoft Access®, SQL Server®, Oracle®, Btrieve®, dBase®, Sybase®, Excel®, FoxPro®, Paradox®, Quattro Pro®, Lotus Notes®, MySQL,... well over 50 of the world's most popular and powerful databases are supported. Even plain old "flat files"!
SQL Tools is much easier to install and use than ADO, DAO, or OLE DB. And while it depends on the driver you select, most of our users report equal or better performance. SQL Tools relies only on low-level drivers, and the one-and-only runtime file is under 175k, so it is also much easier to distribute your applications. SQL Tools works with almost any version of MDAC -- including the versions that are pre-installed with Windows 98SE, ME, NT4, 2000, and XP -- so "installation conflicts" are virtually eliminated.
SQL Tools is based on Microsoft's ODBC technology, but all of the "hard parts" are handled 100% automatically. If you don't believe us, check out the sample program that's shown below.
SQL Tools Pro provides virtually 100% of the functionality of the ODBC 3.5, Level 2 specification, which is the state of the art for SQL/ODBC databases. Complete ODBC 3.5 support means that you can create, read and write MDB file without using Microsoft Access... You can read and write DBF files without using FoxPro or dBase... You don't have to use any DBMS software to gain access to over 50 different types of databases!
SQL Tools is NOT a database-design program like Microsoft Access or Oracle's SQL*Plus. In other words, SQL Tools does not provide a GUI environment for designing databases from scratch. (To be clear, SQL Tools can be used to create certain types of databases, such as Access MDB files. But it does not provide a GUI interface for doing so.)
SQL Tools is perfect for Internet and Intranet web server applications!
What Does a SQL Tools Program Look Like?
Here's the BASIC source code for a simple program that opens a database, retrieves all of the data from a table, and exports it to a comma-and-quote-delimited text file:
'open a text file for output...
Open "\SQL-DUMP.TXT" For Output As #1'open the database...
SQL_OpenDatabase "MyData.DSN"
'(SQL Tools supports both DSN and DSN-less connections)'execute a SQL statement...
SQL_Statement IMMEDIATE, "SELECT * FROM ADDRESSBOOK"'retrieve the data...
DoSQL_Fetch NEXT_ROW
If SQL_EndOfData Then Exit Do
Print #1, SQL_ResultColumnText(ALL_COLs)Loop
Close #1
SQL_CloseDatabase
That's just ten lines of BASIC code, and it's a fully functioning SQL Tools program!
But don't be fooled by the simplicity of that code! Take another look at the SQL Tools Pro feature list and you'll see that it provides everything you'll need to build powerful, flexible, multi-user database programs. Whether you're a novice or a seasoned SQL guru, SQL Tools has what you need!
What Will I Need To Use SQL Tools?
SQL Tools works with Microsoft Windows 95, 98, 98SE, ME, NT4, 2000, XP, Vista, and Windows 7.
You'll need either Visual Basic (4.0 or better) or a PowerBASIC 32-bit Windows Compiler (PB/WIN, PB/DLL or PB/CC), plus the ODBC Driver for the database that you want to use. (Free drivers for several popular databases can be downloaded from the Microsoft web site.)
If you want to design a complex relational database (as opposed to working with an existing database) you should probably consider the purchase of the appropriate GUI-based "DBMS" database management software, such as Microsoft Access or Oracle SQL*Plus. (If you distribute your program, you do not have to distribute the DBMS program with it.)
We also suggest that you acquire reference materials related to SQL programming. While the SQL Tools documentation contains a lot of information – the Help File is over 800 pages long -- it could not possibly be all-inclusive. Literally hundreds of high-quality SQL books are available, covering virtually every "flavor" of SQL. Amazon.com currently lists well over 600 books on SQL programming!
Language Compatibility
SQL Tools is 100% compatible with all versions of PowerBASIC For Windows and the PowerBASIC Console Compiler, as well as PB/DLL versions 5 and 6.
SQL Tools is also compatible with the 32-bit versions of Microsoft Visual Basic. SQL Tools is believed to be compatible with VB.Net and VB 2005, but it is not a .Net component and Perfect Sync cannot provide technical support for .Net languages.
SQL Tools is provided as a standard 32-bit DLL so it is compatible with the great majority of 32-bit Windows programming languages (C, C++, Delphi, etc.), but header files are currently available only for VB and PB. Contact Perfect Sync Tech Support to inquire about other languages.
