# File lib/dbd_interbase/InterBase.rb, line 51
  def connect(dbname, user, auth, attr)
    # connect to database
    hash = Utils.parse_params(dbname)

    if hash['database'].nil? 
      raise InterfaceError, "must specify database"
    end

    params = []
    params << hash['charset'] unless hash['charset'].nil? 

    handle = ::InterBase::Connection.connect(hash['database'], user, auth, *params)
    return Database.new(handle, attr)
  rescue IBError => err
    raise DBI::DatabaseError.new(err.message)
  end