How to I access a Progress Database using OpenEdge tools?

All the advice provided in this post is correct. I actually abandoned my attempts to access the database in the end, but I'll summarise what I found along the way.

If you want to access data in a progress database using and ODBC type connection you can, but there is a lot of information you'll need to find first.

First you'll need a driver installed. For earlier versions of the progress there is the 'Merant' driver. For later versions there is an 'OpenEdge driver'. If these are installed they will be visible in the Microsoft Administrative Tools --> Data Sources --> Drivers list.

Sometimes the progress database is installed with a number of administrative tools including an SQL browser tool. This appears to use a JDBC driver that shares the same connection parameters as the ODBC connection, so if you want to browse or execute SQL statements against the database you can use either. You'll need to configure the bits and pieces for either.

The connection \ login details for the administrative tools (username \ password \ servername \ portnumber) are not the same as those required to access the actual data.

A Progress database can be started in a number of ways - it can be scheduled to run (like a standard executable) at startup, as a service, or on demand when a user tries to access it. The connection \ login details will be stored in different locations depending on the startup type. You should always be able to get the connection details from the log though.

The log file will often be in the same directory as the database file(s) with the extension .lg. The master database file has the extension .db. If you are looking to get a copy of the database you'll want to copy the entire directory.

The -S and -H lines in the log signify the host name and port number of the database. Look for them at the point where the database was last started.

When connecting via an odbc or JDBC connection, the database will need to be running and you will count as a user. There may be a limited number of connections allowed to connect through a database broker at any given time. The error I receive was simply because all of the allowable connections were in use. If you cannot connect using the details provided (and your not just being told that your credentials are incorrect) then make sure the DB is started (Check the log is the easiest way), boot a current user, or start another broker using the advice provided by 'Progressor' above.

There will probably be 2 or more database users setup. The vendor that supplied the database should be obliged to provide you with the connection details for usrers they have created. If you log in as the database 'owner' you may find may have the ability to view the names, sizes, details, schema, etc. for every table in the database. But you can only view data in the system tables - the application tables may still be restricted. If this is the case then at least as the administrator you will be able to retrieve a list of of other users form the system tables. You can then execute a statement or script to reset the password for these users and access the data under their logins. Contact progress, the software \ DB vendor, or consult the knowledge base. I did not go down this path.

Hope this helps any other Progress novices out there.