Interface areas are used for exchanging information between HiRDB and a UAP. The following table lists and describes the types of interface areas and their usage.

Table 3-2 Interface area types and uses

Area type	Use	Language
		C	COBOL
SQL Communications Areas	For obtaining detailed information on SQL execution results.	R#1	R#1
SQL Descriptor Areas	For sending to the system information on input variables that are resolved dynamically during UAP execution. For receiving information of item to be retrieved from SQL statements that are preprocessed for the dynamic UAP execution. For specifying column name data areas.	O	O
Column name data areas	For receiving information of item to be retrieved from SQL statements that are preprocessed for the dynamic UAP execution.	O	O
Type name data areas	For receiving user-defined data type names.	O	O
Character set descriptor areas	For sending to the system the character set names for input variables that are resolved dynamically during UAP execution. For receiving character set names for items to be retrieved from SQL statements that are preprocessed for dynamic UAP execution.	O	O
Embedded variables	For transferring values (specified in SQL statements embedded in UAP).	O	O
Indicator variables	For transferring values (specified in SQL statements embedded in UAP).	O	O
? parameters	For transferring values from a UAP to the SQL statements that are preprocessed for the dynamic UAP execution.	O	O#2

R: Required

O: Optional

#1: These areas need not be declared, because they are expanded within the UAP when the SQL preprocessor is executed. For details about SQL preprocessor execution, see 8.2 Preprocessing.

#2: An embedded variable and an indicator variable are used instead of a ? parameter.

For details about SQL Communications Areas and SQL Descriptor Areas, see A. SQL Communications Area and B. SQL Descriptor Area. For details about embedded variables, indicator areas, and ? parameters, see the HiRDB Version 9 SQL Reference manual.