-f filename

Output file to load SQL# commands from.

-o filename

Output file to send results.

-s

Silent mode.

Example:

        \open

Basically, there are five commands a user should know: \provider, \connectionstring, \open, \quit, and \help

To connect to a database, you need to do the following:

1. set your data provider via \provider

        Example:
                SQL# \provider mysql

2. set your connection string via \connectionstring

        Example:
                SQL# \connectionstring Database=test

3. open a connection to the database via \open

        Example:
                SQL# \open

ConnectionString

Sets the Connection String

Example:
        SQL# \ConnectionString Database=testdb

For more examples, see section CONNECTION STRING EXAMPLES.

Provider

Sets the Provider of the Data Source. For list of Providers, see section PROVIDERS.

Example: to set the provider for MySQL:
        SQL# \provider mysql

Note: if you need to load an external provider in SQL#,
      see the SQL# command \loadextprovider

LoadExtProvider

ASSEMBLY CLASS to load an external provider. Use the complete name of its assembly and its Connection class.

Example: to load the MySQL provider Mono.Data.MySql
        SQL# \loadextprovider Mono.Data.MySql Mono.Data.MySql.MySqlConnection

Open

Opens a connection to the database

Example:
        SQL# \open

Close

Closes the connection to the database

Example:
        SQL# \close

Default

show default variables, such as, Provider and ConnectionString.

Example:
        SQL# \defaults

Q

Quit

Example:
        SQL# \q

e execute SQL query (SELECT)

Example: to execute a query

        SQL# SELECT * FROM EMPLOYEE
        SQL# \e

Note: to get \e to automatically work after entering a query, put a
      semicolon ; at the end of the query.

Example: to enter and exectue query at the same time

        SQL# SELECT * FROM EMPLOYEE;

exenonquery

execute a SQL non query (not a SELECT)

Example: to insert a row into a table:

        SQL# INSERT INTO SOMETABLE (COL1, COL2) VALUES('ABC','DEF')
        SQL# \exenonquery

Note: this can be used for those providers that are new and do not have
      the ability to execute queries yet.

exescalar

execute SQL to get a single row and single column.

Example: to execute a Maxium aggregate
                SQL# SELECT MAX(grade) FROM class
                SQL# \exescalar

exexml

FILENAME to execute SQL and save output to XML file

Example:
        SQL# SELECT fname, lname, hire_date FROM employee
        SQL# \exexml employee.xml

Note: this depends on DataAdapter, DataTable, and DataSet
      to be working properly

Commands for importing commands from file to SQL# and vice versa

f

FILENAME to read a batch of SQL# commands from file

Example:
        SQL# \f batch.sql#

Note: the SQL# commands are interpreted as they are read.  If there is
      any SQL statements, the are executed.

o

FILENAME to write result of commands executed to file.

Example:
        SQL# \o result.txt

load

FILENAME to load from file SQL commands into SQL buffer.

Example:
        SQL# \load commands.sql

save

FILENAME to save SQL commands from SQL buffer to file.

Example:
        SQL# \save commands.sql

h

show help (all commands).

Example:
        SQL# \h

s

TRUE, FALSE to silent messages.

Example 1:
        SQL# \s true

Example 2:
        SQL# \s false

r

reset or clear the query buffer.

Example:
        SQL# \r

print

show what's in the SQL buffer now.

Example:
        SQL# \print

SH VARIABLES WHICH CAN BE USED AS PARAMETERS Commands to set variables which can be used as Parameters in an SQL statement. If the SQL contains any parameters, the parameter does not have a variable set, the user will be prompted for the value for each missing parameter.

set

NAME VALUE to set an internal variable.

Example:
        SQL# \set sFirstName John

unset

NAME to remove an internal variable.

Example:
        SQL# \unset sFirstName

variable

NAME to display the value of an internal variable.

Example:
        SQL# \variable sFirstName

UseParameters

TRUE,FALSE to use parameters when executing SQL which use the variables that were set.

If this option is true, the SQL contains parameters, and for each parameter which does not have a SQL# variable set, the user will be prompted to enter the value For that parameter.

Example:
        SQL# \useparameter true

Default: false

UseSimpleReader

TRUE,FALSE to use simple reader when displaying results.

Example:
        SQL# \usesimplereader true

Default: false. Mostly, this is dependent on the provider. If the provider does not have enough of IDataReader implemented to have the normal reader working, then the simple reader can be used. Providers like SqlClient, MySQL, and PostgreSQL have this ption defaulting to true.

PROVIDER   NAME          NAMESPACE                  ASSEMBLY

Internal
--------

OleDb      OLE DB        System.Data.OleDb          System.Data
SqlClient  MS SQL 7/2000 System.Data.SqlClient      System.Data
Odbc       ODBC          System.Data.Odbc           System.Data

External to System.Data
-----------------------
MySql      MySQL         Mono.Data.MySql            Mono.Data.MySql
Sqlite     SQL Lite      Mono.Data.SqliteClient     Mono.Data.SqliteClient
Sybase     Sybase        Mono.Data.SybaseClient     Mono.Data.SybaseClient
Tds        TDS Generic   Mono.Data.TdsClient        Mono.Data.TdsClient
PostgreSql M PostgreSQL  Mono.Data.PostgreSqlClient Mono.Data.PostgreSqlClient
DB2        IBM DB2       Mono.Data.DB2Client        Mono.Data.DB2Client
Oracle     Oracle 8i     System.Data.OracleClient   System.Data.OracleClient

External to Mono
----------------

Npgsql     NetPostgreSQL Npgsql                     Npgsql
MySQLNet   ByteFX MySQL  ByteFX.Data.MySQL          ByteFX.Data

Example of usage:
        \connectionstring Database=testdb

Connection String examples:

Microsoft SQL Server via System.Data.SqlClient
or Mono.Data.TdsClient provider:

        Server=DANPC;Database=pubs;User ID=saPassword=

PostgreSQL via Mono.Data.PostgreSqlClient provider:

        host=localhost;dbname=test;user=postgres;password=fun2db

                          or

        Server=localhost;Database=test;User ID=postgres;Password=fun2db

MySQL via Mono.Data.MySql provider:

        Server=localhost;Database=test;User ID=mysql;Password=

ODBC via System.Data.Odbc provider using
a DSN named "MSSQLDSN"  I set up
in the Windows control panel's ODBC Data Sources
which connects to Microsoft SQL Server 2000:

        DSN=MSSQLDSN;UID=danmorg;PWD=freetds

SQL Lite via Mono.Data.SqliteClient
provider which connects to the
database file SqliteTest.db; if not found,
the file is created:

        URI=file:SqliteTest.db

OLE DB via System.Data.OleDb provider
which connects to a PostgreSQL database:

        Provider=PostgreSQL;Addr=127.0.0.1;Database=rodrigo

Oracle via System.Data.OracleClient

        Data Source=testdb;User ID=scott;Password=tiger

IBM DB2 Universal Database via Mono.Data.DB2Client

        DSN=sample;User ID=db2admin;Password=mysecret

Npgsql (.NET PostgreSQL) from
http://gborg.postgresql.org/project/npgsql/projdisplay.php

        Server=localhost;Database=test;User ID=postgres;Password=fun2db

MySQLNet (ByteFX MySQL) from
http://sourceforge.net/projects/mysqlnet/

        Server=localhost;Database=test;User ID=mysql;Password=