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Introducing Pro*C/C++

This chapter describes Pro*C/C++, the Oracle programmatic interface for the C and C++ languages running under the Window NT and Windows 95/98 operating systems. Pro*C/C++ enables you to build Oracle database applications in a Win32 environment.

Specific topics discussed are:

• What is Pro*C/C++?
• Installing Pro*C/C++
• PL/SQL Support
• Features

 

Note:  See the Pro*C/C++ Precompiler Programmer's Guide for information on using Pro*C/C++ under all operating systems.

What is Pro*C/C++?

The Pro*C/C++ precompiler takes SQL statements embedded in your C and C++ program and converts them to standard C code. When you precompile this code, the result is a C or C++ program that you can compile and use to build applications that access an Oracle database.

To access an Oracle database, you use a high-level query language called Structured Query Language (SQL). Pro*C/C++ is a precompiler that converts SQL statements in EXEC SQL commands into C statements so that the resulting output file can then be compiled by a C/C++ compiler.

Pro*C/C++ allows you to create applications that access your Oracle database whenever rapid development and compatibility with other systems are your priorities.

Installing Pro*C/C++

For instructions on how to install Pro*C/C++, refer to the CD-ROM insert.

PL/SQL Support

Pro*C/C++ supports PL/SQL, Oracle's procedural language extension to the SQL language standard for enhancing performance of the Oracle database.

Note:  PL/SQL is supported for releases of Oracle databases version 8.0. You can also embed PL/SQL blocks in Pro*C/C++ applications that use the transaction processing option to access an Oracle database.

Additional Information:  See the PL/SQL User's Guide and Reference for additional information on PL/SQL. See the Pro*C/C++ Precompiler Programmer's Guide for information on embedding PL/SQL in your Pro*C/C++ applications.

Features

Pro*C/C++ supports the following features:

• remote (by way of Net8) or local access to Oracle8 Servers, version 8.0
• embedded PL/SQL blocks
• bundled database calls, which can provide better performance in client/server environments
• full ANSI compliance for embedded SQL programming
• PL/SQL version 8.0 and host language arrays in PL/SQL procedures
• multi-threaded applications
• full ANSI C compliance
• Microsoft Visual C++ support, version 5.0 for 32-bit applications
• Borland C++ support, version 5.0 for 32-bit applications

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