SQLConnect is the simplest connection function. It requires a data source name and accepts an optional user ID and password. It works well for applications that hard-code a data source name and do not require a user ID or password. It also works well for applications that want to control their own “look and feel,” or that have no user interface. Such applications can build a list of data sources using SQLDataSources; prompt the user for data source, user ID, and password; and then call SQLConnect.