---
title: "SQLDriverConnect (Excel Driver) | Microsoft Docs"
ms.custom: ""
ms.date: "01/19/2017"
ms.prod: sql
ms.prod_service: connectivity
ms.reviewer: ""
ms.technology: connectivity
ms.topic: conceptual
helpviewer_keywords: 
  - "Excel driver [ODBC], SQLDriverConnect"
  - "SQLDriverConnect function [ODBC], Excel Driver"
ms.assetid: 285cb1ea-f461-4596-97f2-fc57af05dede
author: David-Engel
ms.author: v-daenge
---
# SQLDriverConnect (Excel Driver)
> [!NOTE]  
>  This topic provides Excel Driver-specific information. For general information about this function, see the appropriate topic under [ODBC API Reference](../../odbc/reference/syntax/odbc-api-reference.md).  
  
 **SQLDriverConnect** enables you to connect to a driver without creating a data source (DSN).  
  
 The following keywords are supported in the connection string for all drivers: **DSN**, **DBQ**, and **FIL**.  
  
 The following table shows the minimum keywords required to connect to each driver, and provides an example of keyword/value pairs used with **SQLDriverConnect**. For a full list of DRIVERID values, see [SQLConfigDataSource](../../odbc/microsoft/odbc-jet-sqlconfigdatasource-excel-driver.md).  
  
> [!NOTE]  
>  If DBQ or DefaultDir is not specified for the Microsoft Excel 3.0 or 4.0 driver, the driver will connect to the current directory.  
  
|Driver|Keywords Required|Examples|  
|------------|-----------------------|--------------|  
|Microsoft Excel 3.0 or 4.0|Driver, DriverID|Driver={Microsoft Excel Driver (*.xls)}; DBQ=c:\temp; DriverID=278|  
|Microsoft Excel 5.0/7.0|Driver, DriverID,  DBQ|Driver={Microsoft Excel Driver (*.xls)}; DBQ=c:\temp\sample.xls; DriverID=22|  
|Microsoft Excel 97 and later|Driver, DriverID,  DBQ|Driver={Microsoft Excel Driver (*.xls)}; DBQ=c:\temp\sample.xls; DriverID=790|