MS SQL Server Extension?

[Tim Golden]

Jack wrote:
> Hi all, in my next project, my Python code needs to talk to an MS SQL
> 2000 Server. Internet search gives me http://pymssql.sourceforge.net/
> I wonder what module(s) people are using. My code runs on a Linux
> box so the module has to build on Linux. Any hints/pointers are welcome. 

There are several modules around which will cover this.
One of these days I'll take the post I'm about to write
and stick it on a Wiki or something because I seem to
write it about once every six months :)

In no particular order:

adodbapi - recently resurrected from moribundity (if
that's a word); search the list archives because I
can't remember who's working on it.

+ Win32 only (afaik)
+ Covers all sorts of things as well as MSSQL
+ Allows for passthrough authentication

- Used to have some slight flakiness in it. Bloke
who's taken over maintenance says he's patched and
simplified things. Haven't tried it since.

pymssql - http://pymssql.sf.net

+ Win32 & Linux (via FreeTDS)

- Doesn't allow passthrough authentication
- Has some issues with Unicode

pyodbc - http://pyodbc.sf.net
(a recent runner)

+ Win32 & Linux (via whatever *nix ODBC package)
+ Apparently more actively maintained than pymssql
+ (Is currently the favoured front-runner among the 
sqlalchemy devs)

- Lacks .nextset (in case that's important to you)

Other contenders:

mxODBC - Commercial License but a very strong
and long-standing candidate. Lacks .nextset
support. Works on *nix via iODBC etc.

Object Craft MSSQL - Worked well for me for years
but they seemed to have abandoned it of late.
Still there. Still works. But no binaries beyond
Python 2.3. (I did try to recompile using MingW
but couldn't get it to work). Works on *nix via
FreeTDS.

TJG