sqlsrv_connect

Opens a connection to a Microsoft SQL Server database

&reftitle.description; `resource` `sqlsrv_connect` `string` `serverName` `array` `connectionInfo`

Opens a connection to a Microsoft SQL Server database. By default, the connection is attempted using Windows Authentication. To connect using SQL Server Authentication, include "UID" and "PWD" in the connection options array.

&reftitle.parameters;

`serverName`

- The name of the server to which a connection is established. To connect to a specific instance, follow the server name with a backward slash and the instance name (e.g. serverName\sqlexpress).

`connectionInfo`

- An associative array that specifies options for connecting to the server. If values for the UID and PWD keys are not specified, the connection will be attempted using Windows Authentication. For a complete list of supported keys, see SQLSRV Connection Options.

&reftitle.returnvalues;

A connection resource. If a connection cannot be successfully opened, &false; is returned.

&reftitle.examples;

### Connect using Windows Authentication.

    <?php
    $serverName = "serverName\\sqlexpress"; //serverName\instanceName

    // Since UID and PWD are not specified in the $connectionInfo array,
    // The connection will be attempted using Windows Authentication.
    $connectionInfo = array( "Database"=>"dbName");
    $conn = sqlsrv_connect( $serverName, $connectionInfo);

    if( $conn ) {
         echo "Connection established.<br />";
    }else{
         echo "Connection could not be established.<br />";
         die( print_r( sqlsrv_errors(), true));
    }
    ?>

### Connect by specifying a user name and password.

    <?php
    $serverName = "serverName\\sqlexpress"; //serverName\instanceName
    $connectionInfo = array( "Database"=>"dbName", "UID"=>"userName", "PWD"=>"password");
    $conn = sqlsrv_connect( $serverName, $connectionInfo);

    if( $conn ) {
         echo "Connection established.<br />";
    }else{
         echo "Connection could not be established.<br />";
         die( print_r( sqlsrv_errors(), true));
    }
    ?>

### Connect on a specified port.

    <?php
    $serverName = "serverName\\sqlexpress, 1542"; //serverName\instanceName, portNumber (default is 1433)
    $connectionInfo = array( "Database"=>"dbName", "UID"=>"userName", "PWD"=>"password");
    $conn = sqlsrv_connect( $serverName, $connectionInfo);

    if( $conn ) {
         echo "Connection established.<br />";
    }else{
         echo "Connection could not be established.<br />";
         die( print_r( sqlsrv_errors(), true));
    }
    ?>

&reftitle.notes;

By default, the `sqlsrv_connect` uses connection pooling to improve connection performance. To turn off connection pooling (i.e. force a new connection on each call), set the "ConnectionPooling" option in the $connectionOptions array to 0 (or &false;). For more information, see SQLSRV Connection Pooling.

The SQLSRV extension does not have a dedicated function for changing which database is connected to. The target database is specified in the $connectionOptions array that is passed to sqlsrv_connect. To change the database on an open connection, execute the following query "USE dbName" (e.g. sqlsrv_query($conn, "USE dbName")).

&reftitle.seealso;

- `sqlsrv_close`
- `sqlsrv_errors`
- `sqlsrv_query`