Using Host Variables

You can manage input and output for Embedded SQL statements by using host variables. Host variables are standard C-program variables that are declared in an Embedded SQL declare section by using the BEGIN DECLARE SECTION and END DECLARE SECTION statements.

Use host variables when the number of items and their datatypes are known at compile time. You can use host variables in static SQL statements to specify input values or to receive output values. You can also use host variables together with parameter markers in dynamic SQL statements to specify input values or to receive the output of a dynamically prepared cursor.

When a host variable name is used in an Embedded SQL statement, the variable name begins with a colon (:). This colon enables the compiler to distinguish between host variables and tables or columns that might have the same name.

The following example is of a C program that uses host variables. The program prompts the user for an author's last name and stores the entered value in the host variable szLastName. The program then retrieves the author's first name from the pubs database and stores the result in the host variable szFirstName.

#include <stdio.h>

int main ()
{
    EXEC SQL BEGIN DECLARE SECTION;
    char szLastName[30];
    char szFirstName[30];
    EXEC SQL END DECLARE SECTION;

    EXEC SQL CONNECT TO gizmo.pubs USER sa;

    printf("Type author's last name: ");
    gets(szLastName);

    EXEC SQL SELECT au_fname INTO :szFirstName
        from authors where au_lname = :szLastName;

    printf("Author's first name is %s.", szFirstName);
    return (0);
}