Application development enhancements

Database object management has been simplified as follows:

• Columns can be renamed using the ALTER TABLE statement.
• Most objects can be replaced during object creation using the OR REPLACE clause.
• Transactions can include an increased limit of ALTER TABLE operations.
• Some object can still be created even if errors occur during the compilation of their bodies.
• Soft invalidation and automatic revalidation are supported for a subset of data definition language (DDL) statements.
• Base table column types can be altered by using the ALTER TABLE statement in more cases.
• The SELECT INTO statement supports the FOR UPDATE clause.

SQL programming has been enhanced with this additional functionality:

• An in-database approach to analytics, which uses a SAS embedded process on the database server
• The TRUNCATE statement, which can quickly delete all rows from a database table
• Created temporary tables, which are a new type of user-defined temporary table
• Numerous scalar functions additions and updates
• Implicit casting, which automatically converts the data of one data type to another type based on an implied set of conversion rules
• Choices for setting the precision of the fractional seconds of the TIMESTAMP data type
• LOB-type columns in temporary tables support
• Public aliases (public synonyms) support
• For modules and sequences, private aliases within a schema support
• Global variable assignments in nested contexts support

Stored procedures development has been both simplified and enhanced as follows:

• Default values for parameters
• Argument assignment by parameter name when you call procedures
• Autonomous transactions, which commit work even if the invoking transaction itself is rolled back
• Application environments can be customized during the connection process

General database application programming has been improved with the following additional enhancements:

• Extensions from Python applications to access IBM® data servers
• System-defined modules
• An enhanced version of IBM Database Add-Ins for Visual Studio
• Collection of common-signature and signature-stable stored procedures that are portable across IBM data servers
• New DB2 sample programs as templates to create your own application programs
• OUT and INOUT parameters support in user-defined functions

SQL Procedural Language (SQL PL) programming has also been improved, see SQL Procedural Language (SQL PL) enhancements.

In addition, the IBM data server clients and drivers have been enhanced as follows:

• IBM Data Server Driver for JDBC and SQLJ includes support for Version 9.7 enhancements and includes additional features.
• IBM Data Server Driver Package has been enhanced.
• The IBM_DB Ruby driver, IBM PHP extensions, and IBM Data Server Provider for .NET support trusted contexts.
• Sysplex functionality is supported on IBM data server clients and non-Java data server drivers with a DB2 Connect license.
• Call Level Interface (CLI) includes support for Version 9.7 enhancements and includes additional features.
• The packaging of the data server drivers has been simplified.