Embed SQL statements in REXX applications

An SQL statement can be placed anywhere a REXX command can be placed.

Each SQL statement in a REXX procedure must begin with EXECSQL (in any combination of uppercase and lowercase letters), followed by either:

The SQL statement enclosed in single or double quotation marks, or
A REXX variable containing the statement. Note that a colon must not precede a REXX variable when it contains an SQL statement.

For example:

EXECSQL “COMMIT”

is equivalent to:

rexxvar = “COMMIT”
EXECSQL rexxvar

The command follows normal REXX rules. For example, it can optionally be followed by a semicolon (;) to allow a single line to contain more than one REXX statement. REXX also permits command names to be included within single quotation marks, for example:

'EXECSQL COMMIT'

The SQL/REXX interface supports the following SQL statements:

ALTER SEQUENCE
ALTER TABLE
CALL ²
CLOSE
COMMENT ON
COMMIT
CREATE ALIAS
CREATE DISTINCT TYPE
CREATE FUNCTION
CREATE INDEX
CREATE PROCEDURE
CREATE SCHEMA
CREATE SEQUENCE
CREATE TABLE
CREATE TRIGGER
CREATE VIEW
DECLARE CURSOR ²
DECLARE GLOBAL TEMPORARY TABLE
DELETE ²
DESCRIBE
DESCRIBE TABLE
DROP

EXECUTE
EXECUTE IMMEDIATE
FETCH ¹
GRANT
INSERT ¹
LABEL ON
LOCK TABLE
OPEN
PREPARE
REFRESH
RELEASE SAVEPOINT
RENAME
REVOKE
ROLLBACK
SAVEPOINT
SET ENCRYPTION PASSWORD
SET OPTION ³
SET PATH
SET SCHEMA
SET TRANSACTION
SET variable ²
UPDATE ²
VALUES INTO ²

The following SQL statements are not supported by the SQL/REXX interface:

ALLOCATE DESCRIPTOR
BEGIN DECLARE SECTION
CONNECT
DEALLOCATE DESCRIPTOR
DECLARE PROCEDURE
DECLARE STATEMENT
DECLARE VARIABLE
DESCRIBE INPUT
DISCONNECT
END DECLARE SECTION
FREE LOCATOR
GET DESCRIPTOR

GET DIAGNOSTICS
HOLD LOCATOR
INCLUDE
RELEASE
SELECT INTO
SET CONNECTION
SET CURRENT DEGREE
SET DESCRIPTOR
SET RESULT SETS
SET SESSION AUTHORIZATION
SIGNAL
WHENEVER¹

¹ ² ³

Comments in REXX applications that use SQL
Neither SQL comments (--) nor REXX comments are allowed in strings representing SQL statements.
Continuation of SQL statements in REXX applications that use SQL
The string containing an SQL statement can be split into several strings on several lines, separated by commas or concatenation operators, according to standard REXX usage.
Include code in REXX applications that use SQL
Unlike the other host languages, support is not provided for including externally defined statements.
Margins in REXX applications that use SQL
There are no special margin rules for the SQL/REXX interface.
Names in REXX applications that use SQL
Any valid REXX name not ending in a period (.) can be used for a host variable. The name must be 64 characters or less.
Nulls in REXX applications that use SQL
Although the term null is used in both REXX and SQL, the term has different meanings in the two languages.
Statement labels in REXX applications that use SQL
REXX command statements can be labeled as usual.
Handle errors and warnings in REXX applications that use SQL
The WHENEVER statement is not supported by the SQL/REXX interface. You can use one of several substitutes, however.

Parent topic: Code SQL statements in REXX applications