Sybase Guide

SQLAPI++ allows to seamlessly work with a variety of SQL database servers. It provides unified API to access any database, keeping your code portable. But each server has some specific features which a developer has to know in order to leverage server's unique features and avoid potential errors.

For complete information on using SQLAPI++ check out Getting Started and Documentation. This guide covers specific information related to working with Sybase server using SQLAPI++ library in the following areas:

• Connecting to a database
• Transaction isolation levels
• Working with Long or Lob (CLob, BLob) data
• Returning output parameters
• Cancelling queries
• Connection, command, parameter and field options
• Using native API
• Getting native connection related handles
• Getting native command related handles
• Error handling

Connecting to a database

To connect to a database you need to initialize a connection object. A connection object is represented by SAConnection class.

After the connection is created you need to call SAConnection::Connect method to establish connection with Sybase server:

void Connect(
    const SAString &sDBString,
    const SAString &sUserID, 
    const SAString &sPassword, 
    SAClient_t eSAClient = SA_Client_NotSpecified);

Parameters

sDBString

Connection string in the following format:

• "" or "@" - empty string or '@' character, connects to a default database on a local server
• <database_name> or @<database_name> - connects to a database with the specified name on local server
• <serve_name>@ - connects to a default database on the specified server
• <server_name>@<database_name> - connects to a database with the specified name on the specified server

sUserID

A string containing a user name to use when establishing the connection.

sPassword

A string containing a password to use when establishing the connection.

eSAClient

• SA_Sybase_Client – Sybase client
• SA_Client_NotSpecified – used by default if eSAClient parameter is omitted. You can use this default value only if you have SAConnection::setAPI method with SAPI object initialized with SA_Sybase_Client constant before

For more details see Getting Started - Connect to Database, SAConnection object, SAConnection::Connect.

Transaction isolation levels

SQL-92 defines four isolation levels, all of which are supported by SQLAPI++:

• Read uncommitted (the lowest level where transactions are isolated just enough to ensure that physically corrupt data is not read)
• Read committed
• Repeatable read
• Serializable (the highest level, where transactions are completely isolated from one another)

SQLAPI++ maps different isolation levels on Sybase in the following way:

In addition to the SQL-92 levels, if you specify 'snapshot' isolation level, it will be mapped as: SA_Snapshot → transaction snapshot.

For more details see SAConnection::setIsolationLevel.

Working with Long or Lob (CLob, BLob) data

When fetching data SQLAPI++ detects data types of the columns in the result set and maps those types to internal library types. The mapping determines which native APIs the library will use for fetching LOB data.

The table below shows how SQLAPI++ maps Sybase server data types to Long/Lob library types:

When binding input data from your program the reverse mapping is taking place. The SQLAPI++ data type you use for input markers determines what native API program types will be used for sending Long/Lob data to the server.

For additional information see Getting Started - Handle Long/CLob/BLob.

Returning output parameters

Sybase ASE server does not provide information about parameter's direction type, that's why SQLAPI++ Library defines all parameters (except status result code) as input (SA_ParamInput). If you have input-output parameters in the procedure you have to call SAParam::setParamDirType method for these parameters before command execution and set parameter's direction type explicitly.

You shouldn't call SAParam::setParamDirType method for procedure status result code because it is detected correctly (as SA_ParamReturn) by the Library.

There is no need to call SAParam::setParamDirType method for Sybase ASA because all parameters are detected correctly automatically (including the direction type).

In Sybase server stored procedures can have integer return codes and output parameters. The return codes and output parameters are sent in the last packet from the server and are therefore not available to the application until all result sets from stored procedure (if any) are completely processed using SACommand::FetchNext method.

SQLAPI++ library automatically creates SAParam object to represent function return value. You can refer to this SAParam object using SQLAPI++ predefined name "RETURN_VALUE".

For additional information see SACommand::Execute, SAParam object, Getting Started - Get Output Parameters.

Cancelling queries

Using SACommand::Cancel method you can cancel the following types of processing on a statement:

• function running asynchronously on the statement
• function running on the statement on another thread

SQLAPI++ calls ct_cancel function to cancel a query. To get more details see ct_cancel function description in native Sybase documentation.

For additional information see SACommand::Cancel.

Connection, command, parameter and field options

Specific options applicable to Sybase:

For additional information see SAOptions::setOption.

Using native Sybase API

You can call client specific API functions which are not directly supported by SQLAPI++ library. SAConnection::NativeAPI method returns a pointer to the set of native API functions available for Sybase. To use the database API directly you have to downcast this IsaAPI pointer to the appropriate type and use its implementation-specific members. The following example shows what type cast you have to make and what additional header file you have to include to work with Sybase API. Note that using appropriate type casting depends on an API (that generally mean that you have to explicitly check client version before casting, see SAConnection::ClientVersion method).

To use native API you need to add Sybase specific #include and cast the result of SAConnection::NativeAPI to class sybAPI:

#include "sybAPI.h"

IsaAPI *pApi = con.NativeAPI();
sybAPI *pNativeAPI = (sybAPI *)pApi;

To get more information about Sybase API functions see Sybase documentation.

For additional information see SAConnection::NativeAPI.

Getting native Sybase connection related handles

You have to use native API handles when you want to call specific Sybase API functions which are not directly supported by the library. API functions usually need to receive one or more active handles as parameters. SAConnection::NativeHandles method returns a pointer to the set of native API connection related handles. To use API handles directly you have to downcast saConnectionHandles pointer to the appropriate type and use its implementation-specific members.

To access native connection handles you need to add Sybase specific #include and cast the result to class sybConnectionHandles:

#include "sybAPI.h"

saConnectionHandles *pHandles = con.NativeHandles();
sybConnectionHandles *pNativeHandles = (sybConnectionHandles*)pHandles;

To get more information about Sybase API functions and handles see Sybase specific documentation.

For additional information see SAConnection::NativeHandles.

Getting native Sybase command related handles

You have to use native API handles when you want to call specific Sybase API functions which are not directly supported by the library. API functions usually need to receive one or more active handles as parameters. SACommand::NativeHandles method returns a pointer to the set of native API command related handles. To use API handles directly you have to downcast saCommandHandles pointer to the appropriate type and use its implementation-specific members.

To access native command handles you need to add Sybase specific #include and cast the result to class sybCommandHandles:

#include "sybAPI.h"

saCommandHandles *pHandles = cmd.NativeHandles();
sybCommandHandles *pNativeHandles = (sybCommandHandles*)pHandles;

To get more information about Sybase API functions and handles see Sybase specific documentation.

For additional information see SACommand::NativeHandles.

Error handling

When an error occurs when executing a SQL statement SQLAPI++ library throws an exception of type SAException and SAException::ErrPos method returns error position in the SQL statement.

In Sybase server SAException::ErrPos method returns -1 because Sybase does not support this function.

For additional information see Getting Started - Error Handling, SAException object.