SQL Reference

DB2 Call Level Interface (CLI) & Open Database Connectivity (ODBC)

The DB2 Call Level Interface is an application programming interface in which functions are provided to application programs to process dynamic SQL statements. CLI programs can also be compiled using an Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) Software Developer's Kit, available from Microsoft or other vendors, enabling access to ODBC data sources. Unlike using embedded SQL, no precompilation is required. Applications developed using this interface may be executed on a variety of databases without being compiled against each of the databases. Through the interface, applications use procedure calls at execution time to connect to databases, to issue SQL statements, and to get returned data and status information.

The DB2 CLI interface provides many features not available in embedded SQL. A few of these are:

• CLI provides function calls which support a consistent way to query and retrieve database system catalog information across the DB2 family of database management systems. This reduces the need to write database server specific catalog queries.
• CLI provides the ability to scroll through a cursor:
  • Forward by one or more rows
  • Backward by one or more rows
  • Forward from the first row by one or more rows
  • Backward from the last row by one or more rows
  • From a previously stored location in the cursor
• Stored procedures called from application programs written using CLI can return result sets to those programs.

The CLI Guide and Reference describes the APIs supported with this interface.