Call Level Interface
Encyclopedia
The Call Level Interface (CLI) is a software standard defined in ISO
/IEC
9075-3:2003. The Call Level Interface defines how a program should send SQL queries to the database management system
(DBMS) and how the returned recordset
s should be handled by the application in a consistent way. Developed in the early 1990s, the API
was defined only for the C
and COBOL
programming languages.
The interface is part of what The Open Group
refers to as the Common Application Environment, which is intended to be a wide standard for programming open applications, i.e. applications from different programming teams and different vendors that can interoperate in an efficient manner. SQL/CLI provides an international standard implementation-independent CLI to access SQL databases. Client-server tools can easily access databases through Dynamic-link libraries (DLL). It supports and encourages a rich set of client-server
tools.
The most widespread use of the CLI standard is the basis of the ODBC (Open Database Connectivity) specification, which is widely used to allow applications to transparently access database systems from different vendors. The current version of the API, ODBC 3.52, incorporates features from both the ISO and X/Open standards (see below).
. In 1992, it was initially published and marketed as Microsoft's ODBC API. The CLI specification was submitted as to the ISO
and ANSI
standards committees in 1993; the standard has the book number ISBN 1-85912-081-4 and the internal document number is C451.
ISO SQL/CLI is an addendum to 1992 SQL standard (SQL-92
). It was completed as ISO standard ISO/IEC 9075-3:1995 Information technology -- Database languages -- SQL -- Part 3: Call-Level Interface (SQL/CLI). The current SQL/CLI effort is adding support for SQL3.
In the fourth quarter of 1994, control over the standard was transferred to the X/Open Company
, which significantly expanded and updated it. The X/Open CLI interface is a superset of the ISO SQL
CLI.
International Organization for Standardization
The International Organization for Standardization , widely known as ISO, is an international standard-setting body composed of representatives from various national standards organizations. Founded on February 23, 1947, the organization promulgates worldwide proprietary, industrial and commercial...
/IEC
International Electrotechnical Commission
The International Electrotechnical Commission is a non-profit, non-governmental international standards organization that prepares and publishes International Standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies – collectively known as "electrotechnology"...
9075-3:2003. The Call Level Interface defines how a program should send SQL queries to the database management system
Database management system
A database management system is a software package with computer programs that control the creation, maintenance, and use of a database. It allows organizations to conveniently develop databases for various applications by database administrators and other specialists. A database is an integrated...
(DBMS) and how the returned recordset
Recordset
A recordset is a data structure that consists of a group of database records, and can either come from a base table or as the result of a query to the table....
s should be handled by the application in a consistent way. Developed in the early 1990s, the API
Application programming interface
An application programming interface is a source code based specification intended to be used as an interface by software components to communicate with each other...
was defined only for the C
C (programming language)
C is a general-purpose computer programming language developed between 1969 and 1973 by Dennis Ritchie at the Bell Telephone Laboratories for use with the Unix operating system....
and COBOL
COBOL
COBOL is one of the oldest programming languages. Its name is an acronym for COmmon Business-Oriented Language, defining its primary domain in business, finance, and administrative systems for companies and governments....
programming languages.
The interface is part of what The Open Group
The Open Group
The Open Group is a vendor and technology-neutral industry consortium, currently with over three hundred member organizations. It was formed in 1996 when X/Open merged with the Open Software Foundation...
refers to as the Common Application Environment, which is intended to be a wide standard for programming open applications, i.e. applications from different programming teams and different vendors that can interoperate in an efficient manner. SQL/CLI provides an international standard implementation-independent CLI to access SQL databases. Client-server tools can easily access databases through Dynamic-link libraries (DLL). It supports and encourages a rich set of client-server
Client-server
The client–server model of computing is a distributed application that partitions tasks or workloads between the providers of a resource or service, called servers, and service requesters, called clients. Often clients and servers communicate over a computer network on separate hardware, but both...
tools.
The most widespread use of the CLI standard is the basis of the ODBC (Open Database Connectivity) specification, which is widely used to allow applications to transparently access database systems from different vendors. The current version of the API, ODBC 3.52, incorporates features from both the ISO and X/Open standards (see below).
History
The work with the Call Level Interface began in a subcommittee of the US-based SQL Access GroupSQL Access Group
The SQL Access Group was a group of software companies that was formed in 1989 to define and promote standards for database portability and interoperability...
. In 1992, it was initially published and marketed as Microsoft's ODBC API. The CLI specification was submitted as to the ISO
International Organization for Standardization
The International Organization for Standardization , widely known as ISO, is an international standard-setting body composed of representatives from various national standards organizations. Founded on February 23, 1947, the organization promulgates worldwide proprietary, industrial and commercial...
and ANSI
American National Standards Institute
The American National Standards Institute is a private non-profit organization that oversees the development of voluntary consensus standards for products, services, processes, systems, and personnel in the United States. The organization also coordinates U.S. standards with international...
standards committees in 1993; the standard has the book number ISBN 1-85912-081-4 and the internal document number is C451.
ISO SQL/CLI is an addendum to 1992 SQL standard (SQL-92
SQL-92
SQL-92 was the third revision of the SQL database query language. Unlike SQL-89, it was a major revision of the standard. For all but a few minor incompatibilities, the SQL-89 standard is forwards-compatible with SQL-92....
). It was completed as ISO standard ISO/IEC 9075-3:1995 Information technology -- Database languages -- SQL -- Part 3: Call-Level Interface (SQL/CLI). The current SQL/CLI effort is adding support for SQL3.
In the fourth quarter of 1994, control over the standard was transferred to the X/Open Company
X/Open
X/Open Company, Ltd. was a consortium founded by several European UNIX systems manufacturers in 1984 to identify and promote open standards in the field of information technology. More specifically, the original aim was to define a single specification for operating systems derived from UNIX, to...
, which significantly expanded and updated it. The X/Open CLI interface is a superset of the ISO SQL
SQL
SQL is a programming language designed for managing data in relational database management systems ....
CLI.
External links
- Online definition of CLI at The Open GroupThe Open GroupThe Open Group is a vendor and technology-neutral industry consortium, currently with over three hundred member organizations. It was formed in 1996 when X/Open merged with the Open Software Foundation...
webpage