Introduction to the Replication Command Language

Learn about the commands in each category. Some commands are included in multiple categories.

For complete command syntax and usage information, see Replication Server^® Commands.

When using Replication Command Language (RCL), follow these formatting rules:

You can break a line anywhere except in the middle of a keyword or identifier.

You can continue a character string on the next line by typing a backslash (\) at the end of the line. Extra space characters on a line are ignored, except after a backslash.

Do not enter any spaces after a backslash. You can enter more than one command in a batch, unless otherwise noted.

RCL commands are not transactional. Replication Server executes each command in a batch without regard for the completion status of other commands in the batch. Syntax errors in a command prevent Replication Server from parsing subsequent commands in a batch.

For detailed information on datatypes, identifiers, reserved words, and support for Adaptive Server, see “Topics”.

For an introduction to Replication Server architecture, see Replication Server Administration Guide Volume 1 > Introduction to Replication Server and Replication Server Administration Guide Volume 1 > Replication Server Technical Overview.

Some Replication Server procedures may require you to execute Adaptive Server system procedures such as sp_setreptable or sp_setrepproc. For complete syntax and usage information, see Adaptive Server Commands and System Procedures.

The Replication Manager (RM) provides another way to perform many of the tasks that RCL commands perform. See Replication Server Administration Guide Volume 1 for more information.

Data Replication Commands
Data replication commands create and manage the replication definitions, publications, and subscriptions that make it possible to replicate tables or stored procedures.
User Commands
Users must have Replication Server login accounts to execute Replication Server commands. An account consists of a login name and a password, both of which must be supplied to connect to a Replication Server.
Database Interface Commands
Replication Server provides several ways to connect to databases and to customize the operations performed in them.
Gateway Commands
Gateway commands are used to manage Replication Server gateways.
Route Commands
A route is a one-way message stream from the source (primary) Replication Server to the destination (target) Replication Server.
System Information Commands
System information commands provide information about Replication Server.
Partition Commands
Replication Server stores messages in stable queues, which are stored on disk partitions. Inbound queues store messages received from Replication Agents; outbound queues store messages to be transmitted to data servers or other Replication Servers.
Configuration Commands
When Replication Server starts, configuration parameters are read from system tables or from a configuration file. Configuration parameters may be static or dynamic. You can change dynamic parameters while Replication Server is running, but you must restart Replication Server after you change static parameters.
System Administration Commands
Use these commands to perform system administration tasks, and to troubleshoot problems that follow system failures. You must have “sa” permission to execute these commands.
Recovery Commands
Use these commands to coordinate recovery after a database is reloaded or when Replication Server stable queues fail.