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SQL programming
You can use the HCL Informix® implementation of the SQL language to develop applications for Informix database servers.
Guide to SQL: Syntax
Other syntax segments
These topics describe syntax segments, which are language elements, such as database object names or optimizer directives, that appear as a subdiagram reference in the syntax diagrams of some SQL or SPL statements.
Return Clause
Named Return Parameters
Using the LIKE Clause

SQL programming
You can use the HCL Informix® implementation of the SQL language to develop applications for Informix database servers.
- Guide to SQL: Syntax
  - Overview of SQL syntax
    These topics provide an overview about how to use the SQL statements, SPL statements, and syntax segments.
  - SQL statements
    This chapter describes the syntax and semantics of SQL statements that are recognized by Informix®.
  - SPL statements
    These topics describe Stored Procedure Language (SPL) statements, which you use to write SPL routines. You can store these routines in the database as user-defined routines (UDRs).
  - Data types and expressions
    These topics describe the data types and expressions that Informix®supports.
  - Other syntax segments
    These topics describe syntax segments, which are language elements, such as database object names or optimizer directives, that appear as a subdiagram reference in the syntax diagrams of some SQL or SPL statements.
    - Arguments
    - Collection-Derived Table
      A collection-derived table is a virtual table in which the values in the rows of the table are equivalent to elements of a collection. Use this segment where you see a reference to Collection-Derived Table in a syntax diagram. This syntax is an extension to the ANSI/ISO standard for SQL.
    - Database Name
    - Database Object Name
    - External Routine Reference
      Include the External Routine Reference clause when you write an external routine. This option is not available for SPL routines.
    - Identifier
      An identifier specifies the unqualified name of a database object, such as an access method, aggregate, alias, blobspace, cast, column, constraint, correlation, data type, index, operator class, partition, procedure, table, trigger, sequence, synonym, or view. Use the Identifier segment whenever you see a reference to an identifier in a syntax diagram.
    - Jar Name
      Use the Jar Name segment to specify the name of a jar ID. Use this segment whenever you see a reference to Jar Name in a syntax diagram.
    - Optimizer Directives
      The Optimizer Directives segment specifies keywords that you can use to partially or fully specify the query plan of the optimizer. Use this segment whenever you see a reference to Optimizer Directives in a syntax diagram.
    - Owner name
      The owner name specifies the owner of a database object. Use this segment whenever you see a reference to Owner Name in a syntax diagram.
    - Purpose Options
    - Return Clause
      - Limits on Returned Values
      - Subset of SQL Data Types
        The built-in SQL data types that a user-defined function (UDF) can return are language-dependent.
      - Using the REFERENCES Clause to Point to a Simple Large Object
      - Returning a value from another database
        The value returned from another database by a user-defined function (UDF) is restricted to a smaller set of data types than the return value of a function that accesses only the local database. Similarly, functions that access databases of other server instances are more restricted in the data types of their return values than functions that return values from other databases of the local database server.
      - Named Return Parameters
        Using the LIKE Clause
      - Cursor and Noncursor Functions
    - Routine modifier
      A routine modifier specifies characteristics of how a user-defined routine (UDR) behaves.
    - Routine Parameter List
    - Shared-Object Filename
      Use a shared-object filename to specify a pathname to an executable object file when you register or alter an external routine.
    - Specific Name
    - Statement Block
  - Built-In Routines
  - Appendixes
- Guide to SQL: Reference
  The Informix® Guide to SQL: Reference contains the reference information for the system catalog tables, data types, and environment variables of the HCL Informix dialect of the SQL language, as implemented in HCL Informix. These topics also include information about the stores_demo, sales_demo, and superstore_demo databases that are included with HCL Informix.
- Guide to SQL: Tutorial
  The Informix® Guide to SQL: Tutorial shows how to use basic and advanced structured query language (SQL) to access and manipulate the data in your databases. It discusses the data manipulation language (DML) statements as well as triggers and stored procedure language (SPL) routines, which DML statements often use.

Using the LIKE Clause

Use the LIKE clause to avoid recreating the SPL whenever the tables in the RETURNING clause changes.

If you want to change any of the columns in the SPL routine, you can use LIKE syntax with the RETURN clause. Here is an example of named parameters with LIKE syntax:

CREATE PROCEDURE p (inval INT DEFAULT 0)
RETURNING serial_num LIKE testtab.serial_num, 
   name LIKE testtab.name, 
   points LIKE testtab.points;
RETURN (inval + 1002), “Newton", 100; 
END PROCEDURE;