path: root/src/interfaces/ecpg/doc/ecpg.info

This is Info file ecpg.info, produced by Makeinfo version 1.67 from the
input file ecpg.texinfo.

   This file documents an embedded SQL in C package for PostgreSQL.

   Copyright 1996 Linus Tolke

   Permission is granted to copy and use in the same way as you are
allowed to copy and use the rest of the PostgreSQL.


File: ecpg.info,  Node: Top,  Next: Why embedded SQL,  Prev: (dir),  Up: (dir)

   Ecpg is an embedded sql preprocessor for C and library for
PostgresSQL

   It is written by Linus Tolke <linus@epact.se> and Michael Meskes
<meskes@debian.org>.

* Menu:

* Why embedded SQL::
* Simple description of the concept::
* How to use it::
* Limitations::
* Porting from other DBMSs::
* Installation::
* Index::
* For the developer::

 -- The Detailed Node Listing --

How to use it

* Preprocessor::
* Library::
* Error handling::

For the developer

* To do list::
* The preprocessor::
* A complete example::
* The library::


File: ecpg.info,  Node: Why embedded SQL,  Next: Simple description of the concept,  Prev: Top,  Up: Top

Why embedded SQL
****************

   Embedded SQL has some small advantages over other ways to handle SQL
queries. It takes care of all the tidious moving of information to and
from variables in your c-program.

   There is an ANSI-standard describing how the embedded language should
work. Most embedded sql preprocessors I have seen and heard of makes
extensions so it is difficult to obtain portability even between them
anyway. I have not read the standard but I hope that my implementation
does not deviate to much and that it would be possible to port programs
with embedded sql written for other DBMS:s to PostgreSQL and thus
promoting the spirit of free software.


File: ecpg.info,  Node: Simple description of the concept,  Next: How to use it,  Prev: Why embedded SQL,  Up: Top

Simple description of the concept
*********************************

   You write your program in C with some special sql things.  For
declaring variables that can be used in SQL statements you need to put
them in a special declare section.  You use a special syntax for the
sql queries.

   Before compiling you run the file through the embedded sql c
preprocessor and it converts the SQL statements you used to function
calls with the variables used as arguments. Both variables that are used
as input to the SQL statements and variables that will contain the
result are passed.

   Then you compile and at link time you link with a special library
that contains the functions used. These functions (actually it is
mostly one single function) fetches the information from the arguments,
performs the SQL query using the ordinary interface (pq) and puts back
the result in the arguments dedicated for output.

   Then you run your program and when the control arrives to the SQL
statement the SQL statement is performed against the database and you
can continue with the result.


File: ecpg.info,  Node: How to use it,  Next: Limitations,  Prev: Simple description of the concept,  Up: Top

How to use it
*************

   This chapter describes how to use the ECPG tool.

* Menu:

* Preprocessor::
* Library::
* Error handling::


File: ecpg.info,  Node: Preprocessor,  Next: Library,  Prev: How to use it,  Up: How to use it

Preprocessor
============

   The preprocessor is called `ecpg'. After installation it resides in
the postgres `bin' directory.


File: ecpg.info,  Node: Library,  Next: Error handling,  Prev: Preprocessor,  Up: How to use it

Library
=======

   The library is called `libecpg.a' resp.  `libecpg.so'. The library
used the pq library for the communication to the postgres server so you
will have to link your program with `-lecpg -lpq'.

   The library has some methods that are "hidden" but that could prove
very useful sometime.

`ECPGdebug(int, FILE *stream)'
     If this is called, with the first argument non-zero, then
     debuglogging is turned on. Debuglogging is done on `stream'. Most
     SQL statement logs its arguments and result.

     The most important one (`ECPGdo') that is called on all SQL
     statements except `EXEC SQL COMMIT', `EXEC SQL ROLLBACK', `EXEC
     SQL CONNECT' logs both its expanded string, i.e. the string with
     all the input variables inserted, and the result from the
     PostgreSQL server. This can be very useful when searching for
     errors in your SQL statements.

`ECPGstatus()'
     This method returns TRUE if we are connected to a database and
     FALSE if not.


File: ecpg.info,  Node: Error handling,  Prev: Library,  Up: How to use it

Error handling
==============

   To be able to detect errors from the postgres server you include a
line like:
     exec sql include sqlca;
   in the include section of your file. This will define a struct and a
variable with the name `sqlca' as following:
     struct sqlca {
         int sqlcode;
         struct {
             int sqlerrml;
             char sqlerrmc[1000];
         } sqlerrm;
     } sqlca;

   If an error occured in the last SQL statement then `sqlca.sqlcode'
will be non-zero. If `sqlca.sqlcode' is less that 0 then this is some
kind of serious error, like the database definition does not match the
query given. If it is bigger than 0 then this is a normal error like
the table did not contain the requested row.

   sqlca.sqlerrm.sqlerrmc will contain a string that describes the
error.  The string ends with `line 23.' where the line is the line
number in the source file (actually the file generated by the
preprocessor but I hope I can fix this to be the line number in the
input file.)

   List of errors that can occur:
-1, Unsupported type %s on line %d.
     Does not normally occur. This is a sign that the preprocessor has
     generated something that the library does not know about. Perhaps
     you are running incompatible versions of the preprocessor and the
     library.

-1, Too many arguments line %d.
-1, Too few arguments line %d.
     The preprocessor has goofed up and generated some incorrect code.

-1, Error starting transaction line %d.
     PostgreSQL signalled to us that we cannot open the connection.

-1, Postgres error: %s line %d.
     Some PostgreSQL error. The message contains the error message from
     the PostgreSQL backend.

1, Data not found line %d.
     This is a "normal" error that tells you that what you are quering
     cannot be found or we have gone through the cursor.

-1, To many matches line %d.
     This means that the query has returned several lines. The `SELECT'
     you made probably was not unique.

-1, Not correctly formatted int type: %s line %d.
     This means that the host variable is of an `int' type and the field
     in the PostgreSQL database is of another type and contains a value
     that cannot be interpreted as an `int'. The library uses `strtol'
     for this conversion.

-1, Not correctly formatted unsigned type: %s line %d.
     This means that the host variable is of an `unsigned int' type and
     the field in the PostgreSQL database is of another type and
     contains a value that cannot be interpreted as an `unsigned int'.
     The library uses `strtoul' for this conversion.

-1, Not correctly formatted floating point type: %s line %d.
     This means that the host variable is of an `float' type and the
     field in the PostgreSQL database is of another type and contains a
     value that cannot be interpreted as an `float'. The library uses
     `strtod' for this conversion.

-1, Too few arguments line %d.
     This means that PostgreSQL has returned more records than we have
     matching variables. Perhaps you have forgotten a couple of the host
     variables in the `INTO :var1,:var2'-list.

-1, Too many arguments line %d.
     This means that PostgreSQL has returned fewer records than we have
     host variables. Perhaps you have to many host variables in the
     `INTO :var1,:var2'-list.

-1, Empty query line %d.
     PostgreSQL returned PGRES_EMPTY_QUERY.

-1, Error: %s line %d.
     This means that PostgreSQL returned on of the errors
     PGRES_NONFATAL_ERROR, PGRES_FATAL_ERROR or PGRES_BAD_RESPONSE.
     Which one and why is explained in the message.

-1, Postgres error line %d.
     PostgreSQL returns something that the library does not know how to
     handle. This is probably because the version of PostgreSQL does not
     match the version of the ecpg library.

-1, Error committing line %d.
     Error during `COMMIT'. `EXEC SQL COMMIT' is translated to an `end'
     operation in PostgreSQL and that is the operation that could not
     be performed.

-1, Error rolling back line %d.
     Error during `ROLLBACK'. `EXEC SQL ROLLBACK' is translated to an
     `abort' operation in PostgreSQL and that is the operation that
     could not be performed.

-1, ECPGconnect: could not open database %s.
     The connect to the database did not work.


File: ecpg.info,  Node: Limitations,  Next: Porting from other DBMSs,  Prev: How to use it,  Up: Top

Limitations
***********

   What will never be included and why or what cannot be done with this
concept.

oracles single tasking possibility
     Oracle version 7.0 on AIX 3 uses the OS-supported locks on the
     shared memory segments and allows the application designer to link
     an application in a so called single tasking way. Instead of
     starting one client process per application process both the
     database part and the application part is run in the same process.
     In later versions of oracle this is no longer supported.

     This would require a total redesign of the postgres access model
     and that effort can not justify the performance gained.


File: ecpg.info,  Node: Porting from other DBMSs,  Next: Installation,  Prev: Limitations,  Up: Top

Porting from other DBMSs
************************

   To be written by persons that knows the different DBMSs and that
actually does port something...


File: ecpg.info,  Node: Installation,  Next: Index,  Prev: Porting from other DBMSs,  Up: Top

Installation
************

   Since version 0.5 ecpg is distributed together with PostgreSQL. So
you should get your precompiler, libraries and header files compiled and
installed on the fly.


File: ecpg.info,  Node: Index,  Next: For the developer,  Prev: Installation,  Up: Top

Index
*****

* Menu:

* -lecpg:                                Library.
* debuglogging:                          Library.
* ecpg:                                  Preprocessor.
* ECPGdebug(int, FILE *stream):          Library.
* ECPGstatus():                          Library.
* error list:                            Error handling.
* error messages:                        Error handling.
* installation:                          Installation.
* libecpg.a:                             Library.
* library functions:                     Library.
* preprocessor:                          Preprocessor.
* single tasking:                        Limitations.
* sqlca.h:                               Error handling.
* sqlcode:                               Error handling.
* struct sqlca:                          Error handling.


File: ecpg.info,  Node: For the developer,  Prev: Index,  Up: Top

For the developer
*****************

   This chapter is for those that wants to develop the ecpg interface.
It describes how the things work. The ambition is to make this chapter
contain things for those that want to have a look inside and the chapter
on How to use it should be enough for all normal questions.

   So, read this before looking at the internals of the `ecpg'. If you
are not interested in how it really works, skip this chapter.

* Menu:

* To do list::
* The preprocessor::
* A complete example::
* The library::


File: ecpg.info,  Node: To do list,  Next: The preprocessor,  Prev: For the developer,  Up: For the developer

To do list
==========

   In the alpha version the preprocessor has a lot of flaws:
Preprocessor output
     The variables should be static.

Preprocessor cannot do syntax checking on your SQL statements
     Whatever you write is copied more or less exactly to the
     PostgreSQL and you will not be able to locate your errors until
     run-time.

no restriction to strings only
     The PQ interface, and most of all the PQexec function, that is
     used by the ecpg relies on that the request is built up as a
     string. In some cases, like when the data contains the null
     character, this will be a serious problem.

error codes
     There should be different error numbers for the different errors
     instead of just -1 for them all.

library functions
     to_date et al.

records
     Possibility to define records or `struct's in the declare section
     in a way that the record can be filled from one row in the
     database.

     This is a simpler way to handle an entire row at a time.

array operations
     Oracle has array operations that enhances speed. When implementing
     it in `ecpg' it is done for compatibility reasons only. For them to
     improve speed would require a lot more insight in the postgres
     internal mechanisms than I possess.

indicator variables
     Oracle has indicator variables that tell if a value is `null' or if
     it is empty. This largely simplifies array operations and provides
     for a way to hack around some design flaws in the handling of
     `VARCHAR2' (1). I am not sure if this is an Oracle extension or
     part of the ANSI standard.

typedefs
     As well as complex types like records and arrays, typedefs would be
     a good thing to take care of.

conversion of scripts
     To set up a database you need a few scripts with table definitions
     and other configuration parameters. If you have these scripts for
     an old database you would like to just apply them to get a
     postgres database that works in the same way.

     The functionality could be accomplished with some conversion
     scripts.  Speed will never be accomplished in this way. To do this
     you need a bigger insight in the database construction and the use
     of the database than could be realised in a script.

   ---------- Footnotes ----------

   (1)  like that an empty string isn't distinguishable from a `null'
value


File: ecpg.info,  Node: The preprocessor,  Next: A complete example,  Prev: To do list,  Up: For the developer

The preprocessor
================

   First four lines are written to the output. Two comments and two
include lines necessary for the interface to the library.

   Then the preprocessor works in one pass only reading the input file
and writing to the output as it goes along. Normally it just echoes
everything to the output without looking at it further.

   When it comes to an `EXEC SQL' statements it interviens and changes
them depending on what iit is. The `EXEC SQL' statement can be one of
these:

   * Declare sections Declare sections begins with
          exec sql begin declare section;
     and ends with
          exec sql end declare section;
     In the section only variable declarations are allowed. Every
     variable declare within this section is also entered in a list of
     variables indexed on their name together with the corresponding
     type.

     The declaration is echoed to the file to make the variable a normal
     C-variable also.

     The special types VARCHAR and VARCHAR2 are converted into a named
     struct for every variable. A declaration like:
          VARCHAR var[180];
     is converted into
          struct varchar_var { int len; char arr[180]; } var;

   * Include statements An include statement looks like:
          exec sql include filename;
     It is converted into
          #include <filename.h>

   * Connect statement A connect statements looks like:
          exec sql connect 'databasename';
     That statement is converted into
          ECPGconnect("databasename");

   * Open cursor statement An open cursor statement looks like:
          exec sql open blablabla;
     and is ignore and not copied from the output.

   * Commit statement A commit statement looks like
          exec sql commit;
     and is translated on the output to
          ECPGcommit(__LINE__);

   * Rollback statement A rollback statement looks like
          exec sql rollback;
     and is translated on the output to
          ECPGrollback(__LINE__);

   * Other statements Other SQL statements are other statements that
     start with `exec sql' and ends with `;'. Everything inbetween is
     treated as an sql statement and parsed for variable substitution.

     Variable substitution occur when a symbol starts with a colon
     (`:'). Then a variable with that name is found among the variables
     that were previously declared within a declare section and
     depending on whether or not the SQL statements knows it to be a
     variable for input or output the pointers to the variables are
     written to the output to allow for access by the function.

     For every variable that is part of the SQL request the function
     gets another five arguments.
       1. The type as a special symbol

       2. A pointer to the value

       3. The size of the variable if it is a varchar

       4. Number of elements in the array (for array fetches)

       5. The offset to the next element in the array (for array
          fetches)
          Since the array fetches are not implemented yet the two last
     arguments are not really important. They could perhaps have been
     left out.


File: ecpg.info,  Node: A complete example,  Next: The library,  Prev: The preprocessor,  Up: For the developer

A complete example
==================

   Here is a complete example describing the output of the preprocessor:
     exec sql begin declare section;
     int index;
     int result;
     exec sql end declare section;
     ...
         exec sql select res into :result from mytable where index = :index;
   is translated into:
     /* These two include files are added by the preprocessor */
     #include <ecpgtype.h>
     #include <ecpglib.h>
     /* exec sql begin declare section */
     
      int index;
      int result;
     /* exec sql end declare section */
     
     ...
         ECPGdo(__LINE__, "select res from mytable where index = ;;",
                ECPGt_int,&index,0,0,sizeof(int),
                ECPGt_EOIT,
                ECPGt_int,&result,0,0,sizeof(int),
                ECPGt_EORT );
   (the indentation in this manual is added for readability and not
something that the preprocessor can do.)


File: ecpg.info,  Node: The library,  Prev: A complete example,  Up: For the developer

The library
===========

   The most important function in the library is the `ECPGdo' function.
It takes a variable amount of arguments. Hopefully we wont run into
machines with limits on the amount of variables that can be accepted by
a varchar function. This could easily add up to 50 or so arguments.

   The arguments are:
A line number
     This is a line number for the original line used in error messages
     only.

A string
     This is the sql request that is to be issued. This request is
     modified by the input variables, i.e. the variables that where not
     known at compile time but are to be entered in the request. Where
     the variables should go the string contains `;;'.

Input variables
     As described in the section about the preprocessor every input
     variable gets five arguments.

ECPGt_EOIT
     An enum telling that there are no more input variables.

Output variables
     As described in the section about the preprocessor every input
     variable gets five arguments. These variables are filled by the
     function.

ECPGt_EORT
     An enum telling that there are no more variables.

   All the SQL statements are performed in one transaction unless you
issue a commit transaction. This works so that the first transaction or
the first after a commit or rollback always begins a transaction.

   To be completed: entries describing the other entries.



Tag Table:
Node: Top319
Node: Why embedded SQL940
Node: Simple description of the concept1722
Node: How to use it2921
Node: Preprocessor3174
Node: Library3401
Node: Error handling4495
Node: Limitations8883
Node: Porting from other DBMSs9668
Node: Installation9923
Node: Index10213
Node: For the developer11130
Node: To do list11731
Node: The preprocessor14242
Node: A complete example17511
Node: The library18547

End Tag Table