Bug #62439 Need for 64 bit compilation of MyODBC
Submitted: 15 Sep 2011 7:13 Modified: 15 Sep 2011 8:27
Reporter: Peter Laursen (Basic Quality Contributor) Email Updates:
Status: Closed Impact on me:
None 
Category:Connector / ODBC Severity:S3 (Non-critical)
Version:any OS:Windows
Assigned to: CPU Architecture:Any

[15 Sep 2011 7:13] Peter Laursen
Description:
MyODBC (both 3.x and 5.1) for Windows are available as 32 bit builds only. However Windows users incresingly use 64 bit Windows (I guess 80% of new installs are 64 bit).

This causes a problem with the ODBC mamagement GUI in (64 bit) Windows. After installation MyODBC is not listed as an option when configuring a new DSN the way most users do (Control Panel .. Administration .. Data Sources).  

I know it is possible to open the 32 bit version of Windows ODBC manager (odbcad32.exe) from C:\Windows\SysWOW64 and here MyODBC is visible, can be configured and then works as expected, but this is not obvious for lots of people. Windows is supposed to be mostly a GUI-managed OS (maybe with the exception of system administrators).

How to repeat:
Install MyODBC 5.1.8 and see above.

Suggested fix:
1) Provide 64 bit build MyODBC for 64 bit Windows users.
2) Document how to use/configure 32 bit MyODBC on 64 bit Windows (I don't think it is currently).
[15 Sep 2011 7:19] Peter Laursen
BTW: consider bundling both 32 bit and 64 bit builds with the installer. Actually on a fresh Win7 installation you will have both 32 bit and 64 bit ODBC driver for SQL Server (for use with 32 and 64 bit applications respectively).

There also is one more problem with a 32 bit ODBC driver on 64 bit Windows: Only a 'user DSN' can be created - not a 'system DSN'. 

And finally I don't know if a 64 bit application would be able to use the 32 bit ODBC driver at all or if some issues would occur.
[15 Sep 2011 8:27] Lawrenty Novitsky
Peter,

Thank you for your report, but... We do provide 64b drivers. And more over - in 64bit package we also bundle 32b driver. Just like you are suggesting.

http://dev.mysql.com/downloads/connector/odbc/

Closing bug