Client-Library routines use the CS_DATAFMT structure to describe data values and program variables.
Some routines require a CS_DATAFMT structure as an input parameter. For example, ct_bind requires a data format structure describing the destination variable for a bind, and ct_param requires a data format structure describing the parameter being passed.
Other routines fill in CS_DATAFMT fields with a description of output data, which an application can then access directly. For example, ct_describe initializes a CS_DATAFMT structure with a description of a result data item.
Client-Library routines that use the CS_DATAFMT structure include ct_bind, ct_describe, and ct_param. CS-Library routines that use CS_DATAFMT include cs_convert and cs_set_convert.
For a description of the fields in a CS_DATAFMT structure, see the “CS_DATAFMT Structure” topics page in the Open Client Client-Library/C Reference Manual.
When a CS_DATAFMT structure is an input parameter to a routine, the routine ignores the contents of any fields in the structure that it does not use. For example, ct_bind ignores the contents of the name, namelen, status, and usertype fields.
The reference page for each routine that uses CS_DATAFMT contains a table listing the fields that are used and the values they can have.
