Getting started with DB-Access

DB-Access provides a menu-driven interface for entering, running, and debugging Structured Query Language (SQL) statements and Stored Procedure Language (SPL) routines. You can also run DB-Access interactively from the command line.

You use SQL and SPL commands to perform data-definition tasks, such as specifying the number and type of data columns in a table, and data-management tasks, such as storing, viewing, and changing table data.

You can use DB-Access for the following aspects of database processing:
  • Running ad hoc queries that you run infrequently
  • Connecting to one or more databases, transferring data between the database and external text files, and displaying information about a database
  • Displaying system catalog tables and the Information Schema of databases
  • Practicing the SQL and SPL statements and examples that are provided in the HCL OneDB™ Guide to SQL: Tutorial or the HCL OneDB Database Design and Implementation Guide
  • Testing applications that you intend to store for use in a production environment
  • Creating demonstration databases
Important: DB-Access is not intended as an application-development environment. You cannot branch conditionally or loop through SQL statements when you run them within DB-Access.

The DB-Access utility is included with the HCL OneDB server and with the HCL OneDB Client Software Development Kit.