HP 3000 Manuals HP 3000 Manuals
Chapter 4 Host Variables Host variables are variables used in SQL commands in the PROCEDURE DIVISION. They are used to pass the following information between an application program and ALLBASE/SQL: * Data values. * Null value indicators. * String truncation indicators. * Bulk processing rows to process. * Dynamic commands. * Savepoint numbers. * Messages from the ALLBASE/SQL message catalog. * DBEnvironment names. All host variables used in the PROCEDURE DIVISION of a COBOL program or subprogram are declared in the DATA DIVISION. The data description entries must contain data clauses that are compatible with ALLBASE/SQL data types. The data description entries must also satisfy certain preprocessor criteria. This chapter identifies where in the PROCEDURE DIVISION you can use host variables and then discusses how to write type descriptions that complement the way host variables are used.