General Syntax and Rules of an Embedded SQL Statement
An embedded SQL statement has the following format:
[margin] EXEC SQL SQL_statement [terminator]
Note: To create forms-based applications, use forms statements. For details, see the Forms-based Application Development Tools User Guide.
When creating embedded SQL (ESQL) programs, remember the following points:
• The margin, consisting of spaces or tabs, is the margin that the host language compiler requires before the regular host code. Not all languages require margins. To determine if a margin is required, see the Embedded SQL Companion Guide.
• The keywords EXEC SQL must precede the SQL statement. EXEC SQL indicates to the embedded SQL preprocessor that the statement is an embedded SQL statement.
• The terminator, which indicates the end of the statement, is specific to the host language. Different host languages require different terminators and some, such as Fortran, do not require any.
• Embedded SQL statements can be continued across multiple lines according to the host language’s rules for line continuation.
• A label can precede an embedded statement if a host language statement in the same place can be preceded by a label. Nothing can be placed between the label and the EXEC SQL keywords.
• Host language comments must follow the rules for the host language.
Some host languages allow the placement of a line number in the margin. For information about language-dependent syntax, see the Embedded SQL Companion Guide.