Re: !! Pro*C versus OCI !!

In article <3dup6t$2uq_at_hustle.rahul.net> Edwin Kuprienko <ekuprien_at_rahul.net> writes:
>The main difference is that if OCI library is changed/updated the PRO*C
>compiler wil automatically take advantage of it without rewriting your
>code. You just need to recompilusing new version of PRO*C.
>
>Additionally PRO*C seems to be a standard while OCI is a hacker's approach.
>
>I found that C programmers prefer to use OCI function calls then use
>embeded SQL. However once they get used to the concept, it doesn't matter
>that much. Personally I prefer PRO*C.
>
>I don't think however, that Oracle OCI is changed very often, but in the
>long run it can save couple of headaches.
>
> Edwin Kuprienko
>
>
>Dennis Harvey (harvey_at_metropolis.com) wrote:
>: Our company is presently porting one of our commercial applications
>: from Sybase (OpenClient/DB-Library) to Oracle. I am inclined to go
>: with the call level interface (OCI) rather that the precompiled
>: approach (Pro*C). The OCI approach has the advantages of eliminating
>: the need for the precompiler, and is easier to debug. Are there any
>: compelling advantages to using the Pro*C approach? I appreciate any
>: opinions or help I can get on this.
 

>: Dennis Harvey
>: Metropolis Software Inc.
>: harvey_at_metropolis.com
>
>--
>------------------------------------------------------------
>| Whatever goes up has to go down. |
>| Whatever goes down will very likely stay that way. |
>------------------------------------------------------------

OCI library is always backward compatible. You will never have to rewrite an existing code to work with a new library. New calls are added to OCI to add new functionality which does existing things better or provides features not available but preferred. Existing calls are never changed for that reason, and new calls are added. There is proliferation of calls doing similiar stuff for that reason.

If existing calls do not work then it is a bug and should be reported. However, much care is taken to see that existing calls always work in the new library.

Pro*C/.. are never always kept in sync with changes in OCI functionality. The code to provide Embedded SQL functionality is never automatically upgraded to use the new calls. However they use the new OCI library, but not the new functionalities in the library. It is a myth that Pro*.. compilers will automatically take the advantage of an upgraded OCI library.

If you have Oracle 7.2, you will not be able to use non-blocking feature of OCI in Pro*C. This is one of the examples how Pro*.. is not upto-date with OCI.

If you are comfortable with C, I would strongly advise you to use OCI, as it is like driving a stick shift, you have the power in your hands.

Debashish Chatterjee

Disclaimer: Opinions expressed are mine and does not reflect the official

            company policies or views. Received on Thu Dec 29 1994 - 18:59:38 CET