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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 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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