isCOBOL Evolve : Language Reference : Embedded SQL (ESQL) : Host Variables : Storing binary data in Host Variables
Storing binary data in Host Variables
After the host variable declaration, the following syntax can be used:
EXEC SQL VAR Host-Variable IS Type END-EXEC
Where
• Host-Variable is a host variable.
• Type can be one of the following keywords:
o BINARY
o LONG RAW
o RAW
Any other value is treated as a comment and doesn’t have effect
 
With this syntax a specific variable is marked as storage for binary data. The runtime is responsible to manage the variable content according to the current database specifications.
Code example
The content of the column t1_field_2 of type RAW in a Oracle table is shown in hex format after reading
...
 
working-storage section.
 
...
 
exec sql include SQLCA end-exec.
77 wrk-ascii pic x(128).
exec sql var wrk-ascii is raw end-exec.
77 wrk-hex   pic x(256).
 
...
 
procedure division.
 
...
 
exec sql 
     select t1_field_2 into :wrk-ascii from table1 where t1_pk = 1 
end-exec.
call "ASCII2HEX" using wrk-ascii, wrk-hex.
display "t1_field_2 = " wrk-hex.
...