Re: SQLCLI data types and internal (System i) formats

[Scott Klement <midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Within SQL, the following holds true:

SQL_CHAR = Fixed-length Alphanumeric
SQL_VARCHAR = alpha prefixed by length (VARYING in RPG)
SQL_NUMERIC = zoned decimal
SQL_DECIMAL = packed decimal
SQL_SMALLINT = 2-byte integer
SQL_INTEGER = 4-byte integer
SQL_BIGINT = 8-byte integer
SQL_FLOAT = 4 byte floating-point
SQL_DOUBLE = 8-byte floating point

Some CLI APIs will attempt to make a conversion from these types to 
stuff supported in C. For example, CHAR or VARCHAR might be converted to 
a null-termated string.  So, sometimes you have to make a distinction 
between the SQL types (listed above) and the C types (SQL_C_CHAR, et al).


On 3/2/2011 11:20 AM, Dennis Lovelady wrote:
> I have been scanning the web looking for a made-for-humans chart that
> will describe the various SQL CLI values and how they relate to our
> beloved i.  There are a few references that make a feeble attempt at
> correlating [some of] these values against C object types, but these
> fall way short, especially when it comes to Packed vs. Zoned, et cetera.
> (This is made more confusing that the terms PACKED and ZONED don't even
> apparently make it to the SQL CLI vocabulary, and are apparently
> replaced by the ambiguous SQL_NUMERIC and SQL_DECIMAL (?) terms.  But I
> digress.)
>
> Some of the ambiguities are:  SQL_BIGINT, SQL_BINARY, SQL_INT,
> SQL_NUMERIC, SQL_SMALLINT.  Then there's SQL_FLOAT, SQL_REAL and
> SQL_DECFLOAT.  That's just for starters.  Obviously, some of these are
> synonyms for others, but that knowledge by itself isn't much help.
>
> Where may I find a chart or other reference that will help me decipher
> the SQL data types, in hopes that a clever routine may make use of this
> information for conversion purposes?
> --
> Programming: An act similar to banging one's head against a wall, but
> with fewer opportunities for reward.