Question Re: query syntax problem in Technology Q&A

query syntax problem

Former Member — Thu, 28 Aug 2014 01:27:21 GMT

I got syntax error at end of the query near ; SQLCODE=-131, ODBC 3 State='42000' I believe the error stems from using ...dba.$Regex_Match(...

begin
declare @excludeSubAcctAliasRegexPatternLst long varchar;
declare @acct_id int;
set @excludeSubAcctAliasRegexPatternLst='test';
set @acct_id=1;
select subAcct_ID, acct_type_short_name 
from dba.subAcct where acct_id = @acct_id
            or  not dba.$Regex_Match(acct_type_short_name, @excludeSubAcctAliasRegexPatternLst);

end


where dba.$Regex_Match is defined as 
ALTER FUNCTION "dba"."$Regex_Match"( in @str2Match long varchar,in @regexPattern long varchar ) 
returns bit not deterministic
external name 'Q:\\\\SqlAnywhereExtEnv\\\\SqlAnywhereDotNetDll.dll::SqlAnywhereDotNetDll.Util.regexMatch( string, string) bool' language CLR


and the corresponding clr member is
    public static bool regexMatch(string s, string pattern)
{
    try { return Regex.IsMatch(s, pattern, roIcEc); }
    catch { }
    return false;
}


I have used successfully other members from the dll for clr proc. this is my first time  using clr function.

Re: query syntax problem

VolkerBarth — Thu, 28 Aug 2014 03:35:26 GMT

I think the error comes from the fact that you treat the bit datatype as a boolean value which is not valid in SQL Anywhere - cf. that sample which also raises -131 (SQLE_SYNTAX_ERROR):

begin
   declare b bit = 0;
   select * from sys.dummy where not b;
end;


In contrast, the following comparison with 0 or 1 will work:
begin
   declare b bit = 0;
   select * from sys.dummy where b = 0;
end;


So I guess you just might have to change the second condition to "...or dba.$Regex_Match(acct_type_short_name, @excludeSubAcctAliasRegexPatternLst) = 0"

FWIW, there's not boolean datatype in SQL Anywhere.

Re: query syntax problem

VolkerBarth — Thu, 28 Aug 2014 04:49:47 GMT

Aside: You might also use SQL Anywhere's builtin regular expression support, i.e. SIMILAR TO and/or REGEXP, and note, those can be used as boolean values, i.e.

...or acct_type_short_name NOT SIMILAR TO @excludeSubAcctAliasRegexPatternLst


I guess the .NET RegexOptions can be mapped to according patterns/flags.

Re: query syntax problem

Former Member — Thu, 28 Aug 2014 12:22:05 GMT

thx

I failed to find flags for clr compatiabiilty of regex in silmilar to and regexp for SA 11... ( found the online syntax:http://dcx.sybase.com/1101/en/dbreference_en11/rf-sqllanguage-s-4915351.html)

if you wonder why clr regex match, the filter is actually a list of ansi like expression reformatted as regex

Re: query syntax problem

Breck_Carter — Thu, 28 Aug 2014 16:19:00 GMT

To restate Volker's correct answer: bool maps to BIT in SQL Anywhere, and BIT is an integer data type, NOT a boolean TRUE/FALSE or TRUE/FALSE/UNKKNOWN datatype. There is no boolean data type for variables in SQL Anywhere. Predicates (comparisons) can return boolean values, of course, but you cannot store or pass around those values.

Perhaps you can code it this way...

or not ( dba.$Regex_Match(acct_type_short_name, @excludeSubAcctAliasRegexPatternLst) = 1 )

if 1 is the true bool value that is mapped to integer bit (I don't know, you tell me 🙂

Re: query syntax problem

VolkerBarth — Fri, 29 Aug 2014 04:11:56 GMT

Sorry, my last sentence was misleading. SIMILAR TO and REGEXP do not use flags but I guess the .NET RegexOptions flags can be expressed with according patterns and/or the different behaviour of SIMILAR TO vs. REGEXP - e.g. SIMILAR TO uses the database collation (and therefore will use "ignore case" semantics in a case insensitive database) whereas REGEXP will use case sensitive semantics - cf. this overview from the v11.0.1 "What's New" pages...