java.sql

Interface Driver

public interface Driver

This interface specifies a mechanism for accessing a JDBC database driver. When the class implementing this method is loaded, it should register an instance of itself with the DriverManager in a static initializer.

Because the DriverManager might attempt to use several drivers to find one that can connect to the requested database, this driver should not cause large numbers of classes and code to be loaded. If another driver is the one that ends up performing the request, any loading done by this driver would be wasted.

Method Summary
boolean	acceptsURL(String url) This method tests whether or not the driver believes it can connect to the specified database.
Connection	connect(String url, Properties properties) This method connects to the specified database using the connection properties supplied.
int	getMajorVersion() This method returns the major version number of the driver.
int	getMinorVersion() This method returns the minor version number of the driver.
DriverPropertyInfo[]	getPropertyInfo(String url, Properties properties) This method returns an array of possible properties that could be used to connect to the specified database.
boolean	jdbcCompliant() This method tests whether or not the driver is JDBC compliant.

Method Detail

acceptsURL

public boolean acceptsURL(String url)

This method tests whether or not the driver believes it can connect to the specified database. The driver should only test whether it understands and accepts the URL. It should not necessarily attempt to probe the database for a connection.

Parameters: url The database URL string.

Returns: true if the drivers can connect to the database, false otherwise.

Throws: SQLException If an error occurs.

connect

public Connection connect(String url, Properties properties)

This method connects to the specified database using the connection properties supplied. If the driver does not understand the database URL, it should return null instead of throwing an exception since the DriverManager will probe a driver in this manner.

Parameters: url The URL string for this connection. properties The list of database connection properties.

Returns: A Connection object for the newly established connection, or null if the URL is not understood.

Throws: SQLException If an error occurs.

getMajorVersion

public int getMajorVersion()

This method returns the major version number of the driver.

Returns: The major version number of the driver.

getMinorVersion

public int getMinorVersion()

This method returns the minor version number of the driver.

Returns: The minor version number of the driver.

getPropertyInfo

public DriverPropertyInfo[] getPropertyInfo(String url, Properties properties)

This method returns an array of possible properties that could be used to connect to the specified database.

Parameters: url The URL string of the database to connect to. properties The list of properties the caller is planning to use to connect to the database.

Returns: A list of possible additional properties for a connection to this database. This list may be empty.

Throws: SQLException If an error occurs.

jdbcCompliant

public boolean jdbcCompliant()

This method tests whether or not the driver is JDBC compliant. This method should only return true if the driver has been certified as JDBC compliant.

Returns: true if the driver has been certified JDBC compliant, false otherwise.