trogers@yosemite.Eng.Sun.COM (Tom Rogers - Database Engineering) (10/15/90)
>I am developing a portable, dynamic ESQL/C service subroutine library. Having >scanned a copy of the X/OPEN Data Management Portability Guide (August 1988), >it has dawned on me that there are no defined standards for passing host >language variables to and from dynamic ESQL statements (or at least there >weren't any in 1988). >Can anyone tell me if any standards have now been reached for dynamic ESQL ? >If so, please forward me any related info. >That is, how can I get a copy of the "X/OPEN Standards >for ESQL document?" There is no such thing as "X/OPEN Standards for ESQL". The most recently published version of the X/Open Portability Guide is XPG3. XPG3 contains many volumes, one of which is Volume 5, Data Management. This was published in 1988. It includes an ISAM (Indexed Sequential Access Method - a record at a time interface usually implemented using b-trees, as in Sun's NetISAM) specification and an SQL specification. The X/Open standards process is an on-going one. The X/Open Data Management Working Group completed the next revision of the X/Open version of SQL, which includes additions to the embedded part of the specification for dynamic SQL, earlier this year. The new spec is very close to the SQL2 spec, largely because several of the most vocal/prominent participants in the Data Management Working Group are also members of X3H2 (the ANSI Database Committee developing SQL2 and SQL3). Normally, this spec would have been part of XPG4. However, not all parts of XPG4 are ready, so individual specs are being "unbundled" from the larger (XPG4) release which has not been created or announced. These separate specs are referred to as Snapshots, Preliminary Specs, or if they are completed, Developers Specs. The SQL spec is a Developers Spec. It can be ordered from X/Open as XO/DEV/90/020, and it costs $40 US or 30 lbs (pounds :-) ) UK. This was recently still at the printers, so it's unclear when you would actually get it. Check with X/Open on its current status when you call to get the order form. Note that you can also obtain the already released XPG3 SQL spec, which is ordered as XO/XPG/89/005 at $30/22.95 UK. To contact X/Open: San Francisco: 415-773-5383 Stamford Connecticut: 203-975-7778 X/Open Company Limited Abbots House, Abbey Street Reading, England, RG1 3BD FAX: +(44) (0)734 500110 Tel: +(44) (0)734 508311 -Tom Rogers Database Engineering, Sun Microsystems