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Open Client Client-Library/C Reference Manual

About This Book

About This Book

This book, the Open Client Client-Library/C Reference Manual, contains reference information for the C version of Open Client(TM) Client-Library(TM).

Audience

This manual is a reference manual for programmers who are writing Client-Library applications. It is written for application programmers who are familiar with the C programming language.

How to use this book

Use this manual as a source of reference information, when you are writing a Client-Library application.

• Chapter 1, "Introducing Client-Library" contains a brief introduction to Client-Library.

• Chapter 2, "Topics" contains information on how to accomplish specific programming tasks, such as using Client-Library routines to read a text or image value from the server. This chapter also contains information on Client-Library structures, options, error messages, and conventions.

• Chapter 3, "Routines" contains specific information about each Client-Library routine, such as what parameters the routine takes and what it returns.

Although there is some introductory material about application development in this book, application programmers should read the Open Client Client-Library/C Programmer's Guide before designing a Client-Library application.

Related documents

• The installation guide explains how to install Client-Library.

• The Open Client Client-Library Programmer's Guide contains information on how to design and implement Client-Library programs.

• The Open Client and Open Server Common Libraries Reference Manual contains reference information for CS-Library and Bulk-Library.

• The Open Client/Server Programmer's Supplement contains platform-specific material for Open Client/Server(TM) developers, including:

  • How to compile and link an application

  • The example programs that are included online with Open Client/Server products

  • Documentation for the routines that have platform-specific behavior

• The Open Client/Server Configuration Guide contains information for System Administrators who configure the Open Client/Server installation environment:

  • Platform-specific localization mechanisms

  • Configuring Sybase drivers for network services

  • The interfaces file

• The Open Client/Server International Developer's Guide contains information for programmers who use Client-Library to develop international applications:

  • A description of the localization mechanism used by the Open Client and Open Server(TM) libraries

  • Guidelines for developing international applications with the Open Client and Open Server libraries

In addition, the following manuals will prove to be particularly useful:

• The Adaptive Server Enterprise Reference Manual describes the Transact-SQL® database language, which an application uses to create and manipulate Sybase Adaptive Server database objects.

• The Transact-SQL User's Guide serves as a textbook on Transact-SQL for new SQL programmers or programmers who are experienced with another Structured Query Language (SQL).

• The Open Client DB-Library Reference Manual describes DB-Library(TM). Like Client-Library, DB-Library is a collection of routines for use in writing client applications.

• The Open Client Client-Library Migration Guide contains information on how DB-Library applications can be migrated to Client-Library. For DB-Library programmers, this book is also a useful comparison of the DB-Library and Client-Library interfaces.

• The Open Server Server-Library Reference Manual contains reference information for Open Server Server-Library, a collection of routines for use in writing Open Server applications.

Other sources of information

Use the Sybase Technical Library CD and the Technical Library Product Manuals Web site to learn more about your product:

• Technical Library CD contains product manuals and technical documents and is included with your software. The DynaText browser (included on the Technical Library CD) allows you to access technical information about your product in an easy-to-use format.

  Refer to the Technical Library Installation Guide in your documentation package for instructions on installing and starting the Technical Library.

• Technical Library Product Manuals Web site is an HTML version of the Technical Library CD that you can access using a standard Web browser. In addition to product manuals, you'll find links to the Technical Documents Web site (formerly known as Tech Info Library), the Solved Cases page, and Sybase/Powersoft newsgroups.

  To access the Technical Library Product Manuals Web site, go to Product Manuals .

Sybase certifications on the Web

Technical documentation at the Sybase Web site is updated frequently.

1. Point your Web browser to Technical Documents .

2. Select a product from the product pick list and click Go.

3. Select the Certification Report filter, specify a time frame, and click Go.

4. Click a Certification Report title to display the report.

1. Point your Web browser to Technical Documents .

2. Select EBFs/Updates. Enter user name and password information, if prompted (for existing web accounts) or create a new account (a free service).

3. Specify a time frame and click Go.

4. Select a product.

5. Click an EBF/Update title to display the report.

Set up a MySybase profile. MySybase is a free service that allows you to create a personalized view of Sybase web pages.

1. Point your Web browser to Technical Documents

2. Click MySybase and create a MySybase profile.

Conventions

Client-Library routine syntax is shown in a bold, monospace font:

CS_RETCODE ct_init(context, version)
 
 CS_CONTEXT  *context;
 CS_INT              version;

Program text and computer output are shown in a monospace font:

ct_init(mycontext, CS_VERSION_100);

Structure names and symbolic constants are shown in capital letters:

CS_CONTEXT, CS_SYNC_IO

Routine names and Transact-SQL keywords are written in a narrow, bold font:

ct_init, the select statement

Code fragments

Most code fragments in this book are taken from the online Client-Library example programs. See the Open Client/Server Programmer's Supplement for a description of these examples and their location in your Sybase installation directory.

Many code fragments in this book reference routines and symbols defined in the example programs, for example:

if (ct_close(connection, CS_UNUSED) != CS_SUCCEED)
 {

    ex_error("ct_close failed");
 }

All ex_ and EX_ symbols used in this book's code examples are defined in the online example programs. They are not part of the Client-Library programming interface.

If you need help

Each Sybase installation that has purchased a support contract has one or more designated people who are authorized to contact Sybase Technical Support. If you cannot resolve a problem using the manuals or online help, please have the designated person contact Sybase Technical Support or the Sybase subsidiary in your area.