Define the SQL communications area in COBOL applications that use SQL

A COBOL program can be written to use the SQLCA to check return status for embedded SQL statements, or the program can use the SQL diagnostics area to check return status.

To use the SQL diagnostics area instead of the SQLCA, use the SET OPTION SQL statement with the option SQLCA = *NO.

When using the SQLCA, a COBOL program that contains SQL statements must include one or both of the following:

An SQLCODE variable declared as PICTURE S9(9) BINARY, PICTURE S9(9) COMP-4, or PICTURE S9(9) COMP.
An SQLSTATE variable declared as PICTURE X(5)

Or,

An SQLCA (which contains an SQLCODE and SQLSTATE variable).

The SQLCODE and SQLSTATE values are set by the database manager after each SQL statement is run. An application can check the SQLCODE or SQLSTATE value to determine whether the last SQL statement was successful.

The SQLCA can be coded in a COBOL program either directly or by using the SQL INCLUDE statement. When coding it directly, make sure it is initialized. Using the SQL INCLUDE statement requests the inclusion of a standard declaration:

  EXEC SQL INCLUDE SQLCA END-EXEC.

The SQLCODE, SQLSTATE, and SQLCA variable declarations must appear in the WORKING-STORAGE SECTION or LINKAGE SECTION of your program and can be placed wherever a record description entry can be specified in those sections.

When you use the INCLUDE statement, the SQL COBOL precompiler includes COBOL source statements for the SQLCA:

01 SQLCA.
   05 SQLCAID        PIC X(8). VALUE X"0000000000000000".
   05 SQLCABC        PIC S9(9) BINARY.
   05 SQLCODE        PIC S9(9) BINARY.
   05 SQLERRM.
      49 SQLERRML    PIC S9(4) BINARY.
      49 SQLERRMC    PIC X(70).
   05 SQLERRP        PIC X(8).
   05 SQLERRD        OCCURS 6 TIMES
                     PIC S9(9) BINARY.
   05 SQLWARN.
      10 SQLWARN0    PIC X.
      10 SQLWARN1    PIC X.
      10 SQLWARN2    PIC X.
      10 SQLWARN3    PIC X.
      10 SQLWARN4    PIC X.
      10 SQLWARN5    PIC X.
      10 SQLWARN6    PIC X.
      10 SQLWARN7    PIC X.
      10 SQLWARN8    PIC X.
      10 SQLWARN9    PIC X.
      10 SQLWARNA    PIC X.
   05 SQLSTATE       PIC X(5).

For ILE COBOL for iSeries™, the SQLCA is declared using the GLOBAL clause. SQLCODE is replaced with SQLCADE when a declare for SQLCODE is found in the program and the SQLCA is provided by the precompiler. SQLSTATE is replaced with SQLSTOTE when a declare for SQLSTATE is found in the program and the SQLCA is provided by the precompiler.