MariaDB Connector for PowerShell

MariaDB Connector enables you to connect to MariaDB, a very powerful relational database engine, whether it's the free and open-source Community Server or Enterprise Platform.

In this article you will learn how to quickly and efficiently integrate MariaDB data in PowerShell without coding. We will use high-performance MariaDB Connector to easily connect to MariaDB and then access the data inside PowerShell.

Let's follow the steps below to see how we can accomplish that!

Download Documentation

MariaDB Connector for PowerShell is based on ZappySys JDBC Bridge Driver which is part of ODBC PowerPack. It is a collection of high-performance ODBC drivers that enable you to integrate data in SQL Server, SSIS, a programming language, or any other ODBC-compatible application. ODBC PowerPack supports various file formats, sources and destinations, including REST/SOAP API, SFTP/FTP, storage services, and plain files, to mention a few.

Prerequisites

Before we begin, make sure you meet the following prerequisite: Java Runtime Environment (JRE) or Java Development Kit (JDK) must be installed on your system.

Minimum required version: Java 8
- Amazon Corretto 8
- Oracle JRE 8
Recommended Java version: Java 21
- Amazon Corretto 21
- Oracle JRE 21

If your JDBC Driver targets a different Java version (e.g., 11 / 17 / 21), install the corresponding or newer Java version.

If you already have a JRE installed, you can try using it too. However, if you experience any issues, we recommend using one of the distributions mentioned above (you can install an additional JRE next to the existing one; just don't forget to configure the default Java in the Windows Environment Variables).

Download MariaDB JDBC driver

To connect to MariaDB in PowerShell, you will have to download JDBC driver for it, which we will use in later steps. Let's perform these little steps right away:

Visit MariaDB official website.
Download the JDBC driver, and save it locally, e.g. to D:\Drivers\JDBC\mariadb-java-client.jar.
Done! That was easy, wasn't it? Let's proceed to the next step.

Create ODBC Data Source (DSN) based on ZappySys JDBC Bridge Driver

Step-by-step instructions

To get data from MariaDB using PowerShell we first need to create a DSN (Data Source) which will access data from MariaDB. We will later be able to read data using PowerShell. Perform these steps:

Download and install ODBC PowerPack.
Open ODBC Data Sources (x64):
Create a User data source (User DSN) based on ZappySys JDBC Bridge Driver

ZappySys JDBC Bridge Driver
- Create and use User DSN if the client application is run under a User Account. This is an ideal option in design-time, when developing a solution, e.g. in Visual Studio 2019. Use it for both type of applications - 64-bit and 32-bit.
- Create and use System DSN if the client application is launched under a System Account, e.g. as a Windows Service. Usually, this is an ideal option to use in a production environment. Use ODBC Data Source Administrator (32-bit), instead of 64-bit version, if Windows Service is a 32-bit application.
Now, we need to configure the JDBC connection in the new ODBC data source. Simply enter the Connection string, credentials, configure other settings, and then click Test Connection button to test the connection:

MariadbDSN

jdbc:mariadb://mariadb-instance-host-name:3306/MyDatabase

D:\Drivers\JDBC\mariadb-java-client.jar

root

****************

[]

Use these values when setting parameters:
- Connection string: jdbc:mariadb://mariadb-instance-host-name:3306/MyDatabase
- JDBC driver file(s): D:\Drivers\JDBC\mariadb-java-client.jar
- User name: root
- User password: ****************
- Connection parameters: []
You should see a message saying that connection test is successful:

Otherwise, if you are getting an error, check out our Community for troubleshooting tips.
We are at the point where we can preview a SQL query. For more SQL query examples visit JDBC Bridge documentation:
MariadbDSN
```
SELECT * FROM orders
```
```
SELECT * FROM orders
```
You can also click on the <Select Table> dropdown and select a table from the list.

The ZappySys JDBC Bridge Driver acts as a transparent intermediary, passing SQL queries directly to the JDBC driver, which then handles the query execution. This means the Bridge Driver simply relays the SQL query without altering it.

Some JDBC drivers don't support INSERT/UPDATE/DELETE statements, so you may get an error saying "action is not supported" or a similar one. Please, be aware, this is not the limitation of ZappySys JDBC Bridge Driver, but is a limitation of the specific JDBC driver you are using.
Click OK to finish creating the data source.

Video Tutorial

Read MariaDB data in PowerShell

Sometimes, you need to quickly access and work with your MariaDB data in PowerShell. Whether you need a quick data overview or the complete dataset, this article will guide you through the process. Here are some common scenarios:

Viewing data in a terminal

Quickly peek at MariaDB data
Monitor data constantly in your console

Saving data to a file

Export data to a CSV file so that it can be sliced and diced in Excel
Export data to a JSON file so that it can ingested by other processes
Export data to an HTML file for user-friendly view and easy sharing
Create a schedule to make it an automatic process

Saving data to a database

Store data internally for analysis or for further ETL processes
Create a schedule to make it an automatic process

Sending data to another API

Integrate data with other systems via external APIs

In this article, we will delve deeper into how to quickly view the data in PowerShell terminal and how to save it to a file. But let's stop talking and get started!

Reading individual fields

Open your favorite PowerShell IDE (we are using Visual Studio Code).

Then simply follow these instructions:

"DSN=MariadbDSN"

Read API data with PowerShell using ODBC DSN in Visual Code

For your convenience, here is the whole PowerShell script:

# Configure connection string and query
$connectionString = "DSN=MariadbDSN"
$query = "SELECT * FROM Customers"

# Instantiate OdbcDataAdapter and DataTable
$adapter = New-Object System.Data.Odbc.OdbcDataAdapter($query, $connectionString)
$table = New-Object System.Data.DataTable

# Fill the table with data
$adapter.Fill($table)

# Since we know we will be reading just 4 columns, let's define format for those 4 columns, each separated by a tab
$format = "{0}`t{1}`t{2}`t{3}"

# Display data in the console
foreach ($row in $table.Rows)
{
    # Construct line based on the format and individual MariaDB fields
    $line = $format -f ($row["CustomerId"], $row["CompanyName"], $row["Country"], $row["Phone"])
    Write-Host $line
}

Access specific MariaDB table field using this code snippet:

$field = $row["ColumnName"]

You will find more info on how to manipulate DataTable.Rows property in Microsoft .NET reference.

For demonstration purposes we are using sample tables which may not be available in MariaDB.

To read values in a console, save the script to a file and then execute this command inside PowerShell terminal:
You can also use even a simpler command inside the terminal, e.g.:
```
. 'C:\Users\john\Documents\dsn.ps1'
```

Retrieving all fields

However, there might be case, when you want to retrieve all columns of a query. Here is how you do it:

"DSN=MariadbDSN"

Read all API columns from ODBC data source in PowerShell

Again, for your convenience, here is the whole PowerShell script:

# Configure connection string and query
$connectionString = "DSN=MariadbDSN"
$query = "SELECT CustomerId, CompanyName, Country, Phone FROM Customers"

# Instantiate OdbcDataAdapter and DataTable
$adapter = New-Object System.Data.Odbc.OdbcDataAdapter($query, $connectionString)
$table = New-Object System.Data.DataTable

# Fill the table with data
$adapter.Fill($table)

# Display data in the console
foreach ($row in $table.Rows) {
    $line = ""
    foreach ($column in $table.Columns) {
        $value = $row[$column.ColumnName]

        # Let's handle NULL values
        if ($value -is [DBNull])
        {
            $value = "(NULL)"
        }
        $line += $value + "`t"
    }
    Write-Host $line
}

You can limit the numbers of lines to retrieve by using a LIMIT keyword in the query, e.g.:

SELECT * FROM Customers LIMIT 10

Using a full ODBC connection string

In the previous steps we used a very short format of ODBC connection string - a DSN. Yet sometimes you don't want a dependency on an ODBC data source (and an extra step). In those times, you can define a full connection string and skip creating an ODBC data source entirely. Let's see below how to accomplish that in the below steps:

Open ODBC data source configuration and click Copy settings:

ZappySys JDBC Bridge Driver - Configuration [Version: 2.0.1.10418]

ZappySys JDBC Bridge Driver - MariaDB

MariaDB Connector enables you to connect to MariaDB, a very powerful relational database engine, whether it's the free and open-source Community Server or Enterprise Platform.

MariadbDSN
The window opens, telling us the connection string was successfully copied to the clipboard:
Then just paste the connection string into your script:
You are good to go! The script will execute the same way as using a DSN.

Have in mind that a full connection string has length limitations.

Proceed to the next step to find out the details.

Limitations of using a full connection string

Despite using a full ODBC connection string may be very convenient it comes with a limitation: it's length is limited to 1024 symbols (or sometimes more). It usually happens when API provider generates a very long Refresh Token when OAuth is at play. If you are using such a long ODBC connection string, you may get this error:

"Connection string exceeds maximum allowed length of 1024"

But there is a solution to this by storing the full connection string in a file. Follow the steps below to achieve this:

Open your ODBC data source.
Click Copy settings button to copy a full connection string (see the previous section on how to accomplish that).
Then create a new file, let's say, in C:\temp\odbc-connection-string.txt.
Continue by pasting the copied connection string into a newly created file and save it.
Finally, the last step! Just construct a shorter ODBC connection string using this format:
```
DRIVER={ZappySys JDBC Bridge Driver};SettingsFile=C:\temp\odbc-connection-string.txt
```
Our troubles are over! Now you should be able to use this connection string in PowerShell with no problems.

This feature requires ODBC PowerPack v1.9.0 or later.

Write MariaDB data to a file in PowerShell

Save data to a CSV file

Export data to a CSV file so that it can be sliced and diced in Excel:

# Configure connection string and query
$connectionString = "DSN=MariadbDSN"
$query = "SELECT * FROM Customers"

# Instantiate OdbcDataAdapter and DataTable
$adapter = New-Object System.Data.Odbc.OdbcDataAdapter($query, $connectionString)
$table = New-Object System.Data.DataTable

# Fill the table with data
$adapter.Fill($table)

# Export table data to a file
$table | ConvertTo-Csv -NoTypeInformation -Delimiter "`t" | Out-File "C:\Users\john\saved-data.csv" -Force

Save data to a JSON file

Export data to a JSON file so that it can ingested by other processes (use the above script, but change this part):

# Export table data to a file
$table | ConvertTo-Json | Out-File "C:\Users\john\saved-data.json" -Force

Save data to an HTML file

Export data to an HTML file for user-friendly view and easy sharing (use the above script, but change this part):

# Export table data to a file
$table | ConvertTo-Html | Out-File "C:\Users\john\saved-data.html" -Force

Check useful PowerShell cmdlets other than ConvertTo-Csv, ConvertTo-Json, and ConvertTo-Html for other data manipulation scenarios.

Helpful Links (JDBC Driver)

Below are some useful community articles to help you troubleshoot and configure the ZappySys JDBC Bridge Driver:

How to combine multiple JAR files
Learn how to merge multiple .jar dependencies when your JDBC driver requires more than one file.
How to fix JBR error: “Data lake is not available / Unable to verify trust for server certificate chain”
Resolve SSL or certificate validation issues encountered during JDBC connections.
System Exception: “Java is not installed or not accessible”
Fix Java path or environment issues that prevent the JDBC Bridge from launching Java.
JDBC Bridge Driver disconnect from Java host error
Troubleshoot unexpected disconnection problems between SSIS and the Java process.
Error: Could not open jvm.cfg while using JDBC Bridge Driver
Resolve JVM configuration path errors during driver initialization.
How to enable JDBC Bridge Driver logging
Enable detailed driver logging for better visibility during troubleshooting.
How to pass JDBC connection parameters (not by URL)
Learn how to specify connection properties programmatically instead of embedding them in the JDBC URL.
How to fix JDBC Bridge error: “No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it”
Troubleshoot firewall or local port binding issues preventing communication with the Java host.
How to use JDBC Bridge options (System Property for Java command line, e.g., classpath, proxy)
Configure custom Java options like classpath and proxy using JDBC Bridge system properties.

Conclusion

In this article we showed you how to connect to MariaDB in PowerShell and integrate data without any coding, saving you time and effort. It's worth noting that ZappySys JDBC Bridge Driver allows you to connect not only to MariaDB, but to any Java application that supports JDBC (just use a different JDBC driver and configure it appropriately).

We encourage you to download MariaDB Connector for PowerShell and see how easy it is to use it for yourself or your team.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact ZappySys support team. You can also open a live chat immediately by clicking on the chat icon below.

Download MariaDB Connector for PowerShell Documentation