For ODBC, the interface library is also called an ODBC driver. An ODBC client application calls the ODBC driver manager, and the driver manager locates the SQL Anywhere driver.

The ODBC driver manager searches the supplied data source to locate the driver. When you create a data source using the ODBC Data Source Administrator or dbdsn utility, SQL Anywhere fills in the current location for your ODBC driver. The data source information is stored in the Windows registry, or in the Unix system information file (named .odbc.ini by default).

Embedded SQL applications are normally linked against the SQL Anywhere embedded SQL import library. The interface library is loaded by name when the application starts. The name of the SQL Anywhere embedded SQL interface library is:

The provider name (SAOLEDB) is used to locate the SQL Anywhere OLE DB Provider DLL (dboledb12.dll) based on entries in the registry. The entries are created when the SAOLEDB provider is installed or if it is re-registered.

ADO.NET programs add a reference to the SQL Anywhere ADO.NET provider, which is named iAnywhere.Data.SQLAnywhere.dll. The .NET Data Provider DLL is added to the .NET Global Assembly Cache (GAC) when it is installed.

When you run your application, the Java package sajdbc4.jar (JDBC 4.0) must be in the classpath. The system must be able to locate the native DLLs or shared objects.

A connection string is sent to the interface library when it is located by the client application. The string is used by the interface library to assemble a list of connection parameters, and establish a server connection.