Overview of Using SQL in BBj

In PRO/5 and Visual PRO/5, BBx data can be accessed using SQL (Structured Query Language) via the SQL verbs built into the language. Visual PRO/5 also provides access to any database that has a supported ODBC driver available.

In BBj, users still have the same SQL access to their BBx/BBj data (and ODBC data if using Microsoft Windows) using the SQL verbs. However, BBj provides users with access to any data source that has a JDBC compliant driver available. JDBC is platform independent, which means that users can now gain access to third party databases even from a UNIX machine. Most major database management system vendors have JDBC drivers available for accessing their databases. Please check with your database vendor for additional information.

In BBj 5.0 and higher, SQL supports the VARBINARY field type, allowing users to insert variable length binary data into a field and extract it without modification. Limitations no longer exist as with fixed length character or character terminated field types.