Using the SQL statement reference

Reference Manual
CHAPTER 9. SQL Statements

Using the SQL statement reference

This section describes some conventions used in documenting the SQL statements.

Syntax conventions

The following conventions are used in the SQL syntax descriptions:

Keywords All SQL keywords are shown in UPPER CASE. However, SQL keywords are case insensitive, so you can enter keywords in any case you wish; SELECT is the same as Select, which is the same as select.
Placeholders Items that must be replaced with appropriate identifiers or expressions are shown in italics.
Continuation Lines beginning with an ellipsis (...) are a continuation from the previous line.
Repeating items Lists of repeating items are shown with an element of the list followed by an ellipsis (three dots). One or more list elements are allowed. If more than one is specified, they must be separated by commas.
Optional portions Optional portions of a statement are enclosed by square brackets. For example, ...
```
RELEASE SAVEPOINT [ savepoint-name ] 
```
... indicates that the savepoint-name is optional. The square brackets should not be typed.
Options When none or only one of a list of items must be chosen, the items are separated by vertical bars and the list enclosed in square brackets.

For example, ...
```
[ ASC | DESC ]
```
... indicates that you can choose one of ASC, DESC, or neither. The square brackets should not be typed.
Alternatives When precisely one of the options must be chosen, the alternatives are enclosed in curly braces. For example ...
```
[ QUOTES { ON | OFF } ] 
```
... indicates that if the QUOTES option is chosen, one of ON or OFF must be provided. The braces should not be typed.
One or more options If you choose more than one, separate your choices with commas. For example
```
{ CONNECT, DBA, RESOURCE }
```

Statement applicability indicators

Some statement titles are followed by an indicator in square brackets that indicate where the statement can be used. These indicators are as follows:

[ESQL] The statement is for use in Embedded SQL.
[ISQL] The statement can be used only in Interactive SQL.
[SP] The statement is for use in stored procedures, triggers, or batches.
[TSQL] The statement is implemented for compatibility with Adaptive Server Enterprise. In some cases, the statement cannot be used in stored procedures that are not in Transact-SQL format. In other cases, there an alternative statement closer to the SQL/92 standard is recommended unless Transact-SQL compatibility is an issue.

If two sets of brackets are used, the statement can be used in both environments. For example, [ESQL][SP] means a statement can be used either in Embedded SQL or in stored procedures.