Migrating iODBC Connections to unixODBC on Mac with M1 (Apple Silicon)

Desupporting RODBC R Package and Database Connection with iODBC

At Exploratory Desktop 6.6, we started to provide M1 (Apple Silicon) edition.

On the M1 edition, RODBC R package, and database connection via iODBC, which was done by RODBC R package, are desupported.

Therefore, if you have database connections via iODBC, they need to be migrated to unixODBC, for Exploratory to keep reading data from them.

Installation of unixODBC

To make use of unixODBC, it needs to be installed on your Mac. For more information, please take a look at this Note.

Migration of Existing iODBC Connections to unixODBC

To migrate existing iODBC Connections to unixODBC, there are 2 ways.

1. If there is another ODBC driver for the same database which can work with unixODBC, switch to that ODBC driver.
2. If the ODBC driver you are currently using is also compatible with unixODBC, configure the ODBC driver to work with unixODBC instead of iODBC.

Switching to Another ODBC Driver That Can Work with unixODBC

Following the instruction for the ODBC driver, set up a DSN for unixODBC.

Then, on Exploratory, open the Connection Dialog for the Connection which became invalid since it was using iODBC originally, and select the new unixODBC-based DSN for the Connection.

Click Update button, and the connection via unixODBC becomes ready for use.