Re: Command line isql or borne-again-sql (basql)

Ihor Kinal writes: > In article <2dikgiINN90v@emory.mathcs.emory.edu>, alan@po.den.mmc.com (Alan Popiel) writes: > > I have found that the following > > syntax also works: > > > > isql dbname - <<EOF > > select ....> > EOF > > > > WARNING: the above method of using 'here' documents > is officially NOT supported by INFORMIX!!!! > > [some text deleted] > Anyway, be aware that if you do use this approach, that as > a minimum, if you're concerned about the results of the ISQL, > you should trap the error output, and do appropriate analysis > to check the results. Simpley checking the return code from > the isql might not be sufficient. The problem with this method is that if you have multiple SQL statements and the first one fails, the rest of the statements will still be executed. If these later statements needed the failed statement to succeed in order to work properly, then trouble is likely to occur (seriousness would depend on the statements being executed - inserts, deletes and updates could really make life interesting). I assume it is just providing the same behavior as working interactively -- if a statement fails interactively, you have the chance to evaluate and decide if you want to type in the next statement or not. Unfortunately, in the above example, there is no way to tell it whether the next statement should be run or not. Also, I believe the exit status of the isql command will reflect the success or failure of the LAST SQL statement -- a statement in the middle could fail and you could still get a good exit status. The form "isql dbname sqlname", where <sqlname> is the name of the script containing the SQL statements, will fail on the first failed statement. Thus later statements, which may depend on the success of the failed statement, will not be executed. -- Bryan Klopfenstein bryan@carsinfo.com CARS Information Systems Corp. Cincinnati, OH Standard Disclaimers Apply