Re: Interesting comment on CQE in product documentation

On 04 Jul 2013 11:06, Vernon Hamberg wrote:

Am looking at a product and see this statement -

"The CQE is the original query processor with extensions that
allow access to OS/400-specific features like multi-member and
multi-format files."

I know the mind is sagging and leaking, but I don't remember any
extensions that allowed naming a member in SQL statements.

I do remember that we had to OVRDBF for members - now we can define
aliases.

Or is this talking about OPNQRYF?

Am I missing something?

Missing... I believe, is the great significance of separating the concept of a "query capability" generally, from the "query capability" of the "SQL" specifically. In effect, the comment is "about OPNQRYF", which was and remains implemented with the Classic Query Engine vs the SQL Query Engine.

The CQE had provided support for *both* the non-SQL query interfaces and the SQL query interface prior to the existence of the SQE. Perhaps not exhaustive, but the following query interfaces provided capability for the explicit specification of the database file Member name and most [if not all] also the Record Format name: OPNQRYF, Query/38, Text/38, OV data\text merge, Query/400, QQQQRY API. As such these query interfaces necessarily require implementation via the CQE.

The SQL has never provided any means to reference a Record Format in a query, but the SQL was able then [e.g. when only CQE existed] and now [since SQE] to specify a member name for an ALIAS. However as a definitional feature of the SQL rather than the "query capability", which Query Engine, is irrelevant. The SQL was eventually also able to set a Record Format name in a CREATE, even if there is still no ability to reference a RcdFmt in a SQL query; but again, definitional, unrelated to the "query capability".