I should have written this message ages ago, but for various reasons I
haven't. Anyway here goes.

As a few old timers around here might know, I have tinkered for quite some
time with an SQL scripting tool. In recent times (were my definition of recent
might not match yours) I have

- added support for multiple connections
- separated the dynamic sql layer, written a dynamic sql API
- used the dynamic sql API to implement DB2 connectivity
- given a name to the language: SQSL (should take you too long to work out the
acronym)

A brief description
SQSL is a scripting language, superset of SQL, with features aimed at
scripting, reporting, and simple ETL, is designed to let DBA perform daily
activities as easily as possible.
It has a low learning curve: the language features should be immediately
obvious to anyone with SQL, SPL, Informix 4gl or bourne shell experience.

Why would you want to use it
Essentially it should allow to accomplish things, from a single tool and using
a familiar language, which would normally either require you to mix and match
dbaccess and some shell, or learn an unfamiliar language like perl or tcl. In
either case, it should also be faster in a fairly large set of tasks.

What do you get
- concurrent connectivity to multiple vendors database engines
- control statements FOR, FOREACH, WHILE, IF/ELIF/ELSE
- additional simple statements (LOAD, UNLOAD, DISPLAY, LET, etc)
- interaction with the OS: eg ability to fork child processes and execute
parallel scripts
- OS & SQL output redirection
- Informix 4gl & C like output formatting
- decimal, datetime and interval arithmetics, text and byte storage, text
manipulation
- external routines API
- data storage
- SQL placeholders
- command substitution and other forms of expansion


If this tickles your interest, here are a few useful pointers:

- The language reference (in its current form) can be found at
http://www.4glworks.com/4wrcsqll.htm#FGWLANGREF

- The SQSL interpreter is currently part of my application framework for
Informix-4gl, which you'll need, so get hold of it at
http://www.4glworks.com/dnld/4glworks-2.0b12e.sh.Z

- A dbaccess like application can be found at
http://www.4glworks.com/dnld/4gwed-1.0c.sh.Z

- the db2 data source is located at http://www.4glworks.com/dnld/sqsldb2-0.9.sh.Z



DISCLAIMER: although IBM does know about my web site and the software
contained, it does not endorse it or support it, or...., so please just leave
them alone.

Given the recent discussion, I just hope this message doesn't cause another
stir ;-)


Peter: if you reckon could be included in the software repository, just let me
know.

--
Ciao,
Marco
__________________________________________________ ____________________________
Marco Greco /UK /IBM Standard disclaimers apply!

Informix faq http://www.iiug.org/techinfo/faq/informix.htm
4glworks http://www.4glworks.com
Informix on Linux http://www.4glworks.com/ifmxlinux.htm


sending to informix-list

Marco Greco wrote:

>
> I should have written this message ages ago, but for various reasons I
> haven't. Anyway here goes.
>
> As a few old timers around here might know, I have tinkered for quite some
> time with an SQL scripting tool. In recent times (were my definition of
> recent might not match yours) I have
>
> - added support for multiple connections
> - separated the dynamic sql layer, written a dynamic sql API
> - used the dynamic sql API to implement DB2 connectivity
> - given a name to the language: SQSL (should take you too long to work out
> the
> acronym)
>
> A brief description
> SQSL is a scripting language, superset of SQL, with features aimed at
> scripting, reporting, and simple ETL, is designed to let DBA perform daily
> activities as easily as possible.
> It has a low learning curve: the language features should be immediately
> obvious to anyone with SQL, SPL, Informix 4gl or bourne shell experience.

<sigh> More off-topic spam... )

About time you posted this!

--
"C'est pas parce qu'on n'a rien à dire qu'il faut fermer sa gueule"
- Coluche