IBM db2 driver deployment / installation

Question

I'm trying to connect to IBM DB2 database with C# application. At first I've installed IBM Data Server Driver Package, which, according to the documentation is for applications using ODBC, CLI, .NET, OLE DB, PHP, Ruby, JDBC, or SQLJ, use IBM Data Server Driver Package. Then I thought I could use IBM.Data.DB2 assembly and happily connect. It didn't work at all, as the app kept crashing while looking for db2app.dll in its current working directory.

Then I installed IBM Data Server Client, which has this dll in "bin" directory, which I added to system path. That didn't help, so I copied it to my app's build directory, and it now works. But I don't think that is correct, as I also had to copy msg\en_US\db2nmp.xml file to my build directory to get exception error texts.

I think it's wrong to copy all these files from DB2 installation, and I should somehow be able to force IBM.Data.DB2 assembly to look for its required files in the system path, not in its working directory. I also think that Data Server Driver Package should be enough, but I wasn't able to do anything with IBM.Data.DB2.dll until I installed the larger Data Server Client.

I assume that the problem is on my end, not with IBM, so I'm doing something obviously or subtly wrong.

My question is: How do I use the smaller IBM Data Server Driver Package with .NET application?

Answer 1

I think you are looking for this information that is available in DB2 manual: http://pic.dhe.ibm.com/infocenter/db2luw/v9r7/topic/com.ibm.swg.im.dbclient.adonet.doc/doc/c0010960.html

And perhaps this helps also: http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/wikis/display/DB2/DB2%20and%20.NET%20FAQs#DB2and.NETFAQs-WherecanIfindtheDB2.NETproviderandVSAddins%3F

In general, I think you should've installed IBM Database Add-Ins for Visual Studio from here(Requires IBM Registration): https://www14.software.ibm.com/webapp/iwm/web/preLogin.do?source=swg-daivs