Each SQL Anywhere database server can have one or more databases loaded at a time. If the URL you supply when connecting via jConnect specifies a server, but does not specify a database, then the connection attempt is made to the default database on the server.

You can specify a particular database by providing an extended form of the URL in one of the following ways.

Using the ServiceName parameter

jdbc:sybase:Tds:host:port?ServiceName=database

The question mark followed by a series of assignments is a standard way of providing arguments to a URL. The case of ServiceName is not significant, and there must be no spaces around the = sign. The database parameter is the database name, not the server name. The database name must not include the path or file suffix. For example:

Connection con = DriverManager.getConnection(
      "jdbc:sybase:Tds:localhost:2638?ServiceName=demo", "DBA", "sql");

Using the RemotePWD parameter

A workaround exists for passing additional connection parameters to the server.

This technique allows you to provide additional connection parameters such as the database name, or a database file, using the RemotePWD field. You set RemotePWD as a Properties field using the put method.

The following code illustrates how to use the field.

import java.util.Properties;
.
.
.
DriverManager.registerDriver( (Driver)
    Class.forName(
    "com.sybase.jdbc3.jdbc.SybDriver").newInstance()
    );
     
Properties props = new Properties();
props.put( "User", "DBA" );
props.put( "Password", "sql" );
props.put( "RemotePWD", ",DatabaseFile=mydb.db" );
 
Connection con = DriverManager.getConnection(
    "jdbc:sybase:Tds:localhost:2638", props );

As shown in the example, a comma must precede the DatabaseFile connection parameter. Using the DatabaseFile parameter, you can start a database on a server using jConnect. By default, the database is started with autostop=YES. If you specify utility_db with a DatabaseFile (DBF) or DatabaseName (DBN) connection parameter (for example, DBN=utility_db), then the utility database is started automatically.

For more information about the utility database, see Using the utility database.