How to connect AS400 with Laravel - php

Question

For a little while now, I've been looking how to try a connection to AS400 with Laravel 7.
I use this package : https://github.com/cooperl22/laravel-ibmi
I add laravel-ibmi to your composer.json file:
"require": {
"cooperl/laravel-ibmi": "^7.0"
}
Use composer to install this package.
$ composer update
Run on the command line from the root of my project:
$ php artisan vendor:publish
And set credentials in .env
DB_CONNECTION=ibmi
DB_HOST=********
DB_PORT=********
DB_DATABASE=********
DB_USERNAME=********
DB_PASSWORD=********
I try a connection with tinket but i have this message :
Psy Shell v0.10.4 (PHP 7.2.24-0ubuntu0.18.04.4 — cli) by Justin Hileman
>>> DB::connection();
PDOException with message 'could not find driver
I should set my credentials in app/config/db2.php, not in .env ?
UPDATE
I install the unixODBC
odbcinst -j
unixODBC 2.3.4
DRIVERS............: /etc/odbcinst.ini
SYSTEM DATA SOURCES: /etc/odbc.ini
FILE DATA SOURCES..: /etc/ODBCDataSources
USER DATA SOURCES..: /home/za/.odbc.ini
SQLULEN Size.......: 8
SQLLEN Size........: 8
SQLSETPOSIROW Size.: 8
Download ibm_data_server_driver_for_odbc_cli_linux390x64_v11.5.tar.gz
tar -xavf ibm_data_server_driver_for_odbc_cli_linux390x64_v11.5.tar.gz
cd odbc_cli
sudo mkdir -p /opt/ibm/clidriver
sudo cp -r clidriver/* /opt/ibm/clidriver
Edit the odbcinst.ini
[Db2]
Description=Db2 Driver
Driver=/opt/ibm/clidriver/lib/libdb2o.so
fileusage=1
dontdlclose=1
Edit odbc.ini for the test
[sample]
Description = Test to DB2
Driver = Db2
but when i try i got this message
export DB2INSTANCE=db2inst1
isql -v sample db2inst1 ibmdb2
[01000][unixODBC][Driver Manager]Can't open lib '/opt/ibm/clidriver/lib/libdb2o.so' : file not found
[ISQL]ERROR: Could not SQLConnect
UPDATE 2
I go to https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/633843
Click Downloads for IBM i Access Client Solutions
When prompted, log in with my IBMid
Scroll down, and next to ACS Linux App Pkg, select Download now
After that i have installed ibm-iaccess-1.1.0.13-1.0.x86_64.rpm, i see it automatically adds the IBM i Access ODBC Driver to odbcinst.ini.
Edit odbc.ini for the test
[sample]
Description = Test to DB2
Driver = IBM i Access ODBC Driver
But it's the bug is repeated (Whereas /opt/ibm/iaccess/lib64/libcwbodbc.so exist).
isql -v sample
[01000][unixODBC][Driver Manager]Can't open lib '/opt/ibm/iaccess/lib64/libcwbodbc.so' : file not found
[ISQL]ERROR: Could not SQLConnect
UPDATE 3
I enter this command
ldd /opt/ibm/iaccess/lib64/libcwbodbc.so
linux-vdso.so.1 (0x00007ffe4830e000)
libodbcinst.so.2 => /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libodbcinst.so.2 (0x00007f1fdc97e000)
libcwbcore.so => not found
libstdc++.so.6 => /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libstdc++.so.6 (0x00007f1fdc5f5000)
libm.so.6 => /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libm.so.6 (0x00007f1fdc257000)
libgcc_s.so.1 => /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libgcc_s.so.1 (0x00007f1fdc03f000)
libc.so.6 => /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libc.so.6 (0x00007f1fdbc4e000)
libltdl.so.7 => /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libltdl.so.7 (0x00007f1fdba44000)
libpthread.so.0 => /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libpthread.so.0 (0x00007f1fdb825000)
/lib64/ld-linux-x86-64.so.2 (0x00007f1fdce6c000)
libdl.so.2 => /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libdl.so.2 (0x00007f1fdb621000)
I did that afterwards.
cp /opt/ibm/iaccess/lib64/libcwbcore.so /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/
isql -v sample
[S1000][unixODBC][IBM][Pilote ODBC System i Access]Le nom de syst�me requis pour la connexion est manquant.
[ISQL]ERROR: Could not SQLConnect

Answer 1

For PHP and Laravel it is wise to get the unixODBC working at the command line before trying to get it working with PHP. The reason is that troubleshooting is easier when you have fewer components to test. It also helps with separation of responsibilities.
The solution was to download and install
a suitable Db2-driver for ODBC/CLI on Linux specifically to work with i-series (AS/400) from IBM website at this link.
The other small footprint clidriver (supplied by IBM) cannot communicate with i-series unless you go via a Db2-connect gateway or have a Db2-connect licence (separate purchase). So it is usually more effective to use the IBM i access product instead. The clidriver works correctly without needing a license or Db2-connect, only when the target Db2-server runs on Linux or Unix variant or Microsoft Windows.
This IBM i access client product has a PDF document included "Installation and Usage Guide" which has helpful information, and several links to useful resources.
After installation, it is necessary to properly configure both the odbcjinst.ini (which details the driver) and the odbc.ini(which details the data soruces) (or .odbc.ini for user DSNs) for use with the driver supplied by the IBM i access client product.
Instructions for completing the odbcinst.ini and odbc.ini are available on the unixODBC website.
Test the connection to the i series with the isql tool, to verify that unixODBC is able to connect and use SQL queries.
The IBM i access product also has troubleshooting tools that includes cwbping and cwbtrc commands among others, which exercise the Db2-driver independently of unixODBC.
Once isql successfully connects to the i series database, you are now ready to configure PHP to use the driver in the normal way. You can then test with Laravel.
Remember to ensure that your linux shell sets the correct LANG environment variable to match your country and your character encoding before accessing the database (which require the relevant locale to be installed), otherwise codepage conversion may give unexpected results.