SQL_ARD_TYPE

The SQL_ARD_TYPE type identifier is used to indicate that the data in a buffer will be of the type specified in the SQL_DESC_CONCISE_TYPE field of the ARD. SQL_ARD_TYPE is entered in the TargetType argument of a call to SQLGetData instead of a specific data type, and enables an application to change the data type of the buffer by changing the descriptor field. This value ties the data type of the *TargetValuePtr buffer to the descriptor field. (SQL_ARD_TYPE is not entered in a call to SQLBindCol or SQLBindParameter because the type of the bound buffer is already tied to the SQL_DESC_TYPE and SQL_DESC_CONCISE_TYPE fields, and can be changed at any time by changing either of those fields.)

The SQL_ARD_TYPE type identifier can be used to specify non-default values for leading precision and seconds precision of interval data types, and precision and scale values for the SQL_C_NUMERIC data type. For more information, see “Overriding Default Leading and Seconds Precision for Interval Data Types” and “Overriding Precision and Scale for Numeric Data Types” later in this appendix.