Connect to Quickbase Data in JRuby

JRuby is a high-performance, stable, fully threaded Java implementation of the Ruby programming language. The CData JDBC Driver for Quickbase makes it easy to integrate connectivity to live Quickbase data in JRuby. This article shows how to create a simple JRuby app that connects to Quickbase data, executes a query, and displays the results.

Configure a JDBC Connection to Quickbase Data

Before creating the app, note the installation location for the JAR file for the JDBC Driver (typically C:\Program Files\CData\CData JDBC Driver for Quickbase\lib).

JRuby natively supports JDBC, so you can easily connect to Quickbase and execute SQL queries. Initialize the JDBC connection with the getConnection function of the java.sql.DriverManager class.

User Authentication Method

To authenticate with user credentials, specify the following connection properties:

1. Set the User and Password.
2. If your application requires an ApplicationToken;, you must provide it otherwise an error will be thrown. You can find the ApplicationToken under SpecificApp > Settings > App management > App properties > Advanced settings > Security options > Manage Application Token.

User Token Authentication

To authenticate with a user token, specify the following connection properties:

1. Set UserToken and you are ready to connect. You can find the UserToken under Quick Base > My Preferences > My User Information > Manage User Tokens.

Built-in Connection String Designer

For assistance in constructing the JDBC URL, use the connection string designer built into the Quickbase JDBC Driver. Either double-click the JAR file or execute the jar file from the command-line.

java -jar cdata.jdbc.quickbase.jar

Fill in the connection properties and copy the connection string to the clipboard.

Below is a typical JDBC connection string for Quickbase:

jdbc:quickbase:[email protected];Password=password;Domain=myinstance.quickbase.com;ApplicationToken=bwkxrb5da2wn57bzfh9xn24

Create a JRuby App with Connectivity to Quickbase Data

Create a new Ruby file (for example: QuickBaseSelect.rb) and open it in a text editor. Copy the following code into your file:

require 'java'
require 'rubygems'
require 'C:/Program Files/CData/CData JDBC Driver for Quickbase 2018/lib/cdata.jdbc.quickbase.jar'

url = "jdbc:quickbase:[email protected];Password=password;Domain=myinstance.quickbase.com;ApplicationToken=bwkxrb5da2wn57bzfh9xn24"
conn = java.sql.DriverManager.getConnection(url)
stmt = conn.createStatement
rs = stmt.executeQuery("SELECT Id, Column1 FROM SampleTable_1")
while (rs.next) do
 puts rs.getString(1) + ' ' + rs.getString(2)
end

With the file completed, you are ready to display your Quickbase data with JRuby. To do so, simply run your file from the command line:

jruby -S QuickBaseSelect.rb

Writing SQL-92 queries to Quickbase allows you to quickly and easily incorporate Quickbase data into your own JRuby applications. Download a free trial today!