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SQL Commands [ ALLBASE/SQL COBOL Application Programming Guide ] MPE/iX 5.0 Documentation


ALLBASE/SQL COBOL Application Programming Guide

SQL Commands 

The SQL commands used for simple data manipulation are:

     SELECT
     INSERT
     DELETE
     UPDATE

Refer to the ALLBASE/SQL Reference Manual for the complete syntax and
semantics of these commands.

SELECT 

In simple data manipulation, you use the SELECT command to retrieve a
single row, i.e., a one-row query result.  The form of the SELECT command
that describes a one-row query result is:

     SELECT   SelectList 
       INTO   HostVariables 
       FROM   TableNames 
      WHERE   SearchCondition 

Note that the GROUP BY, HAVING, and ORDER BY clauses are not necessary,
since these clauses usually describe multiple-row query results.

You may omit the WHERE clause from certain queries when the select list
contains only aggregate functions:

     EXEC SQL SELECT  AVG(SALESPRICE)
                INTO :AVGSALESPRICE
                FROM  PURCHDB.PARTS
     END-EXEC.

A WHERE clause may be used, however, to qualify the rows over which the
aggregate function is applied:

     EXEC SQL SELECT  AVG(SALESPRICE)
                INTO :AVGSALESPRICE
                FROM  PURCHDB.PARTS
               WHERE  SALESPRICE > :SALESPRICE
     END-EXEC.

If the select list does not contain aggregate functions, a WHERE clause
is used to restrict the query result to a single row:

     EXEC SQL SELECT  PARTNAME,  SALESPRICE
                INTO :PARTNAME, :SALESPRICE
                FROM  PURCHDB.PARTS
               WHERE  PARTNUMBER = :PARTNUMBER
     END-EXEC.

Because the host variables that hold query results for a simple SELECT
command are not arrays of records, they can hold only a single row.  A
runtime error occurs when multiple rows qualify for a simple SELECT
command.  You can test for an SQLCODE value of -10002 to detect this
condition:

     WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
     .
     .
     01  MULTIPLEROWS            PIC S9(9) COMP VALUE -10002.
     .
     .
     .
     PROCEDURE DIVISION.
     .
     .
     .
          The SELECT command is executed here. 

          IF SQLCODE = MULTIPLEROWS
             DISPLAY "WARNING:  More than one row qualifies."

When multiple rows qualify but the receiving host variables are not in an
array of records and the BULK option is not specified, none of the rows
are returned.

When a column named in the WHERE clause has a unique index on it, you can
omit testing for multiple-row query results if the column was defined NOT
NULL. A unique index prevents the key column(s) from having duplicate
values.  The following index, for example, ensures that only one row will
exist for any part number in PURCHDB.PARTS:

     CREATE UNIQUE INDEX PARTNUMINDEX
            ON PURCHDB.PARTS (PARTNUMBER)

If a key column of a unique index can contain a null value, the unique
index ensures that no more than one null value can exist for that column.

Another method of qualifying the rows you want to select is to use the
LIKE specification to search for a particular character string pattern.

For example, suppose you want to search for all VendorRemarks that
contain a reference to 6%.  Since the percent sign (%) happens to be one
of the wildcard characters for the LIKE specification, you could use the
following SELECT statement specifying the exclamation point (!)  as your
escape character.

     SELECT * FROM PurchDB.Vendors
      WHERE VendorRemarks LIKE '%6!%%' ESCAPE '!'

The first and last percent sign character are the wildcard characters.
The next to the last percent sign, preceded by an exclamation point, is
the percent sign that you want to escape, so that it is actually used in
the search pattern for the LIKE clause.

The character following an escape character must be either a wildcard
character or the escape character itself.  Complete syntax is presented
in the ALLBASE/SQL Reference Manual .

It is useful to execute the SELECT command before executing the INSERT,
DELETE, or UPDATE commands in the following situations:

   *   When an application updates or deletes rows, the SELECT command
       can retrieve the target data for user verification before the data
       is changed.  This technique minimizes inadvertent data changes:

            The program accepts a part number from the user into a host variable
            named PARTNUMBER, then retrieves a row for that part. 

            EXEC SQL SELECT  PARTNUMBER,  BINNUMBER
                       INTO :PARTNUMBER, :BINNUMBER
                       FROM  PURCHDB.INVENTORY
                      WHERE  PARTNUMBER = :PARTNUMBER
            END-EXEC.

            The row is displayed, and the user is asked if the bin number is to be
            changed.  If not, the user is prompted for another part number.  If so,
            the user is prompted for the new bin number, which is accepted into the
            host variable named BINNUMBER.  Then the UPDATE command is executed. 

            EXEC SQL UPDATE PURCHDB.INVENTORY
                        SET BINNUMBER  = :BINNUMBER
                      WHERE PARTNUMBER = :PARTNUMBER
            END-EXEC.

   *   To prohibit the multiple-row changes possible if multiple rows
       qualify for an UPDATE or DELETE operation, an application can use
       the SELECT command.  If multiple rows qualify for the SELECT
       operation, the UPDATE or DELETE would not be executed.
       Alternatively, the user could be advised that multiple rows would
       be affected and given a choice as to whether to perform the
       change:

            The program prompts the user for an order number and a vendor part
            number in preparation for allowing the user to change the vendor part
            number.  The following SELECT command determines whether more than one
            line at a time exists on the order for the specified vendor part number: 

            EXEC SQL SELECT  ITEMNUMBER
                       INTO :ITEMNUMBER
                       FROM  PURCHDB.ORDERITEMS
                      WHERE  ORDERNUMBER    = :ORDERNUMBER
                        AND  VENDPARTNUMBER = :VENDPARTNUMBER
            END-EXEC. 
            When more than one row qualifies for this query, the program lets the
            user decide whether to proceed with the update operation. 

   *   When an application lets the user INSERT a row that must contain a
       value higher than an existing value, the SELECT command can
       identify the highest existing value:

            EXEC SQL SELECT  MAX(ORDERNUMBER)
                       INTO :MAXORDERNUMBER
                       FROM  PURCHDB.ORDERS
            END-EXEC.
             
            The program can increment the maximum order number by one, then
            provide the user with the new number and prompt for information
            describing the new order. 

INSERT 

In simple data manipulation, you use the INSERT command to either insert
a single row or copy one or more rows into a table from another table.

You use the following form of the INSERT command to insert a single row:

     INSERT INTO TableName 
                 (ColumnNames)
          VALUES (DataValues)

You can omit ColumnNames when you provide values for all columns in the
target table:

     EXEC SQL INSERT INTO   PURCHDB.PARTS
                    VALUES (:PARTNUMBER,
                            :PARTNAME   :PARTNAMEIND,
                            :SALESPRICE :SALESPRICEIND)
     END-EXEC.

Remember that when you do include column names but do not name all the
columns in the target table, ALLBASE/SQL attempts to insert a null value
into each unnamed column.  If an unnamed column was defined as NOT NULL,
the INSERT command fails.

To copy one or more rows from one or more tables to another table, use
the following form of the INSERT command:

     INSERT  INTO  TableName 
                   (ColumnNames)
           SELECT  SelectList 
             FROM  TableNames 
            WHERE  SearchCondition1 
         GROUP BY  ColumnName 
           HAVING  SearchCondition2 

Note that the SELECT command embedded in this INSERT command cannot 
contain an INTO or ORDER BY clause.  In addition, any host variables used
must be within the WHERE or HAVING clauses.

The following example copies historical data for filled orders into
table PurchDB.OldOrders, then deletes rows for these orders from
PurchDB.Orders, keeping that table minimal in size.

     The INSERT command copies rows from PURCHDB.ORDERS to PURCHDB.OLDORDERS. 

     EXEC SQL INSERT  INTO  PURCHDB.OLDORDERS
                            (OLDORDER, OLDVENDOR, OLDDATE)
                    SELECT  ORDERNUMBER, VENDORNUMBER, ORDERDATE
                      FROM  PURCHDB.ORDERS
                     WHERE  ORDERNUMBER = :ORDERNUMBER
     END-EXEC.
     Then the DELETE command deletes rows from PURCHDB.ORDERS: 

     EXEC SQL DELETE  FROM  PURCHDB.ORDERS
                     WHERE  ORDERNUMBER: = ORDERNUMBER
     END-EXEC.

UPDATE 

In simple data manipulation, you use the UPDATE command to change data in
one or more columns:

     UPDATE TableName 
        SET Columname = ColumnValue 
            [,...]
      WHERE SearchCondition 

As in the case of the DELETE command, if you omit the WHERE clause, the
value of any column specified is changed in all rows of the table.

If the WHERE clause is specified, all rows satisfying the search
condition are changed, for example:

     EXEC SQL UPDATE PURCHDB.VENDORS
                 SET CONTACTNAME   = :CONTACTNAME :CONTACTNAMEIND,
                     VENDORSTREET  = :VENDORSTREET,
                     VENDORCITY    = :VENDORCITY,
                     VENDORSTATE   = :VENDORSTATE,
                     VENDORZIPCODE = :VENDORZIPCODE
               WHERE VENDORNUMBER  = :VENDORNUMBER
     END-EXEC.

In this example, column CONTACTNAME can contain a null value.  To insert
a null value, the program must assign a number less than 0 to the
indicator variable for this column, CONTACTNAMEIND:

     The program prompts the user for new values for the four columns. 

     PROCEDURE DIVISION.
     .
     .
     DISPLAY "Enter Vendor Street> ".
     ACCEPT VENDORSTREET FREE.
     DISPLAY  "Enter Vendor City> ".
     ACCEPT VENDORCITY FREE.
     DISPLAY "Enter Vendor State> ".
     ACCEPT VENDORSTATE FREE.
     DISPLAY "Enter Vendor Zip Code> ".
     ACCEPT VENDORZIPCODE FREE.

     DISPLAY "Enter Contact Name (0 for null)> "
     ACCEPT CONTACTNAME FREE.

          If the user enters a 0 to assign a null value to column
          ContactName, the program assigns a -1 to the indicator
          variable; otherwise, the program assigns a 0 to this variable: 

     IF CONTACTNAME = '0' THEN
        MOVE -1 TO CONTACTNAMEIND
     ELSE
        MOVE ZERO TO CONTACTNAMEIND.

DELETE 

In simple data manipulation, you use the DELETE command to delete one or
more rows from a table:

     DELETE FROM  TableName 
           WHERE  SearchCondition 

The WHERE clause specifies a SearchCondition that rows must meet to be
deleted, for example:

     EXEC SQL DELETE FROM PURCHDB.ORDERS
                    WHERE ORDERDATE < :ORDERDATE
     END-EXEC.

If the WHERE clause is omitted, all rows in the table are deleted.



MPE/iX 5.0 Documentation