How to connect to SQL server from php (Laravel) - php

Question

On a Linux/Ubuntu box, I'm trying to connect to an external SQL Server database, but I only get errors. I know that the hostname, db name and credentials are correct, and I can't change them.
$odbc="odbc:Driver={SQL Server};Server=$server;Database=$database;";
$db = new PDO($odbc, $user, $password);
This just gives me could not find driver. I have tried every tutorial I could find, and installed tons of packages, and restarted nginx over and over again. I don't know what to do next.

Answer 1

You need to install drivers for php: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/connect/php/download-drivers-php-sql-server?view=sql-server-2017
Then update config/database.php to use the sqlserv connection and driver:
'default' => env('DB_CONNECTION', 'sqlsrv'),
'connections' => [
'sqlsrv' => [
'driver' => 'sqlsrv',
'host' => env('DB_HOST', 'localhost'),
'database' => env('DB_DATABASE', 'default_database'),
'username' => env('DB_USERNAME', 'default_username'),
'password' => env('DB_PASSWORD', ''),
'prefix' => '',
],
//[...]
],
After you've done that, you can use php artisan tinker to confirm the driver is available:
>>> DB::availableDrivers()
=> [
0 => "mysql",
2 => "sqlite",
]
and test your connection:
>>> DB::connection()
=> Illuminate\Database\MySqlConnection {#161}
(Mine doesn't show sqlserv because I don't use that driver)