Configuring the IBM Toolbox for Java

The IBM® Toolbox for Java™ is a library of Java classes that are optimized for accessing IBM i data and resources. You can use the IBM Toolbox for Java JDBC driver to access local or remote DB2® UDB for IBM i databases from server-side and client Java applications that run on any platform that supports Java.

Before you begin

Determine which version of the IBM Toolbox for Java you want to use on your system.

About this task

The IBM Toolbox for Java is available in these versions:
IBM Toolbox for Java licensed program
The licensed program is available with every IBM i release. You can install the licensed program on your IBM i system, and then either copy the IBM Toolbox for Java JAR file (jt400.jar) to your system or update your system classpath to locate the server installation. Product documentation for IBM Toolbox for Java is available from the IBM i documentation: https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/ssw_ibm_i Locate the documentation by traversing the traversing the following path in the navigation window of the IBM i documentation:

Programming > Java > IBM Toolbox for Java

JTOpen
JTOpen is the open source version of IBM Toolbox for Java, and is more frequently updated than the licensed program version. You can download JTOpen from https://www.ibm.com/systems/power/software/i/toolbox/. You can also download the JTOpen Programming Guide. The guide includes instructions for installing JTOpen and information about the JDBC driver.

The IBM Toolbox for Java JDBC driver is included with both versions of the IBM Toolbox for Java. This JDBC driver supports JDBC 3.0. For more information about IBM Toolbox for Java and JTOpen, see the product website at https://www.ibm.com/servers/eserver/iseries/toolbox/index.html.

[AIX Solaris HP-UX Linux Windows][z/OS]Avoid trouble: If you are using the product on platforms other than iSeries, use the JTOpen version of the Toolbox JDBC driver.

Procedure

  1. [AIX Solaris HP-UX Linux Windows][z/OS] Download the jt400.jar file from the JTOpen URL at https://www.ibm.com/systems/power/software/i/toolbox/.

    Place it in a directory on your workstation such as /JDBC_Drivers/Toolbox.

  2. [IBM i] Install the IBM Toolbox for Java licensed program.

    The licensed program is available with every IBM i release. You can install the licensed program on your IBM i system, and then either copy the IBM Toolbox for Java JAR file (jt400.jar) to your system or update your system classpath to locate the server installation.

  3. Open the administrative console.
  4. Select Environment > WebSphere variables.
  5. In the list of available scopes, select the appropriate node.
  6. Locate the WebSphere® variable OS400_TOOLBOX_JDBC_DRIVER_PATH in the list of variables that are defined for that scope.

    Depending on how many variables are defined for the selected node, you might have to navigate through multiple pages of variables to find the OS400_TOOLBOX_JDBC_DRIVER_PATH variable. In this situation, clicking the arrow at the end of the page takes you to the next page of variables for the selected node.

  7. Click OS400_TOOLBOX_JDBC_DRIVER_PATH in the name column.
  8. Set the value to the full directory path to the jt400.jar file downloaded in step one. Do not include jt400.jar in this value.
    For example, if the fully qualified path to the jt400.jar file is: 
    JDBC_Drivers/Toolbox/jt400.jar
    Specify JDBC_Drivers/Toolbox as the value for the OS400_TOOLBOX_JDBC_DRIVER_PATH variable.
  9. Click Apply and then click Save to save your changes.