A Rexx interface to SQL databases

Version 2.5

10 October 2006

History of Rexx/SQL

This section provides details of changes and additions made to the Rexx/SQL interface as it evolves.

Version 2.5: 15 Oct 2006

Added SQLDataSource(), SQLTables() and SQLColumns(). Documentation and original ODBC implementation courtesy of Lorne Sunley. Not all of these functions completed on all platforms. tester.cmd changed to test these functions.
Rexx/SQL is now thread-safe. Thread-safety of a Rexx/SQL application is dependent now on whether the database client is thread-safe. Where it is known that the database client is thread-safe, the new Rexx/SQL variable; SUPPORTSTHREADS is set to 1.
Fixed bug with SQLCA.ROWCOUNT when calling SQLFETCH; it now sets the value as documented.
Updated documentation to state that SQLCA. stem is read-only; don't change values or DROP the variables. You have been warned!
Added support for SQLite3. Support for placemarkers in SQLite3 is now supported. NB Support for version of SQLite before 3.x is not provided. If you used a beta of Rexx/SQL 2.5 that included "lite3" in the distribution filename or in the external function names, remove the "3". ie if you used LITE3GETINSERTID it is now called LITEGETINSERTID.
Fixed bug with following sequence of calls:
```
       SQLPREPARE
         SQLOPEN
           SQLFETCH (in loop)
         SQLCLOSE
         SQLOPEN
           SQLFETCH (in loop)
         SQLCLOSE
       SQLDISPOSE
    
```
Previously, the second SQLOPEN/SQLFETCH/SQLCLOSE sequence would not work on all database platforms.
Added test in tester.cmd "fetch" to test this case.
Added MYGETINSERTID for MySQL to return the value generated for an AUTO_INCREMENT column as a result of the last INSERT or UPDATE statement.
Added LITEGETINSERTID for SQLite3 to return the last identifier from an INSERT of NULL into a column defined as INTEGER PRIMARY KEY.
Added support for Open Object Rexx.
Fixed bug with Oracle and SQLGETDATA. Now no longer crashes.
Added extra bind variable capability to Oracle bind by name. Allows LONG data to be bound from a Rexx variable or a file; similar to bind capability with standard placemarkers.
Support for Sybase SQL Anywhere (now called Adaptive Server Anywhere) on Un*x is not working due to major changes by Sybase.

Version 2.4: 7 Jul 2002

Added a default subcommand handler, so that Operating System commands in a Rexx/SQL program NOT specifically addressed to the system with ADDRESS SYSTEM, will execute properly.
MySQL port updated to work around introduced incompatibility with SELECT statements in MySQL 3.22.24.
MySQL port now supports transactions if using BDB or INNOBASE tables. The sample program tester.cmd builds its test tables with BDB, so if your installation of MySQL does not support BDB, remove the two lines in tester.cmd like:
```
  If db = 'MYSQL' Then create1 = create1 'TYPE = BDB'
  
```
DB2 port now links with db2 library rather than db2ar library.
Fixed bug with Oracle DATE datatype support for non-US installations
Fixed bug with DB2 and ODBC datatype checking
Added support for Object Rexx under AIX
Added support for uni-REXX
Added support for BirdStep (Raima) Velocis database servers
Added support for unixODBC project (http://genix.net/unixODBC)
Added support for SQLite; an embedded SQL database engine (no server required) (http://www.sqlite.org)
Win32 ports now use Rexx/Trans DLL so only one Rexx/SQL required for Regina, Object Rexx, Personal Rexx and WinRexx.
Support for Solid Server 2.3 included; now no longer need to determine operating system specific libraries.
REXX/6000 support more robust
Added multiple database error message capture for those databases that can return multiple lines of errors. This is handled by addition of an "array"; sqlca.sqlerrm.0 to sqlca.sqlerrm.n where n is sqlca.sqlerrm.0. There is also a sqlca.sqlstate "array"
Database APIs that are based on ODBC or CLI, that can return a "success with info" status, are also supported. The return code from Rexx/SQL functions are now:
```
      0  - success
      <0 - error
      >0 - success with info (the "info" is in sqlca.sqlerrm array)
      
```
SQLFETCH is an exception to the above rule as a positive return value indicates how many rows were fetched.
Added PostgreSQL 6.4 support using iODBC.
Support for mSQL (2.0+) under OS/2 using Netlabs port added.
MySQL port under OS/2 added.
Changes parameter passing convention for rexxsql executable. It now behaves the same way as the Rexx interpreter for multiple parameters.
Added extra method for setting internal DEBUG variable, by setting environment variable REXXSQL_DEBUG.
Added extra internal debugging flag. Invoke by calling SQLVARIABLE 'DEBUG', 4. Can also be set by passing -D flag to command line, or setting environment variable REXXSQL_DEBUG to 4.
Changed method of specifying Rexx Interpreter and Database vendor. See INSTALL for more detailed expalanation.

Version 2.3: 26 Jun 1998

Fixed major memory leaks with all ports.
Changed the Win32 ports for Personal Rexx and Enterprise Rexx so they would work with the rexxsql.dll. They way that the interpreters handle external functions, required special initialisation and termination code :-(
Split this document up into pieces.

Version 2.2: 10 Dec 1997

Addition of DB2/NT and SQL Anywhere for Unix ports.
Support for Object Rexx for Linux.

Version 2.1: 23 Sep 1997

Addition of UDBC and Solid Server ports.
Added support for mSQL 2.x.

Version 2.0: 10 Jun 1997

Addition of DB2, SQL Anywhere, MySQL and ODBC ports.
Updated support for mSQL 1.0.16.
Addition of new settable variables, AUTOCOMMIT, IGNORETRUNCATE, NULLSTRINGOUT,NULLSTRINGIN and STANDARDPLACEMARKERS and readonly variables DESCRIBECOLUMNS, SUPPORTSPLACEMARKERS, SUPPORTSSQLGETDATA and SUPPORTSTRANSACTIONS for use with SQLVARIABLE
Addition of new functions use with SQLGETINFO and use with SQLGETDATA
Changed the Oracle port to use deferred parsing. This necessitated changing the way that execution of DDL statements are handled. In previous versions, it was possible to call SQLPREPARE and the DDL statement would be executed as well. The new (and more consistent) method involves calling SQLEXECUTE after preparing the statement. This change to execution of DDL statements is applicable to all Rexx/SQL ports. Added support to the Oracle port to enable the use of '?' as a bind variable placemarker, to be more consistent with other databases.
Added new command line switch -i to allow Rexx/SQL to be run interactively or to be used as a filter under Un*x.
Added support for bind values to be passed in Rexx arrays.

Version 1.3: 10 March 1996

Addition of OS/2 port for mSQL (version 1.0.13), using Dirk Ohme's OS/2 port.
Parameters to SQLCONNECT changed.

Version 1.2: sometime in 1995

Addition of mSQL (version 1.0.10) support under Un*x.

Version 1.1: sometime in 1995

Addition of DLL support under OS/2 for Oracle.

Version 1.0: 10 June 1995

First public release. This consisted of the Oracle port for Un*x and OS/2, but no DLL support under OS/2.

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Last updated 10 October 2006