int mysql_stmt_prepare(MYSQL_STMT *stmt, const char *stmt_str, unsigned long length)

Description

Given the statement handle returned by mysql_stmt_init(), prepares the SQL statement pointed to by the string stmt_str and returns a status value. The string length should be given by the length argument. The string must consist of a single SQL statement. You should not add a terminating semicolon (“;”) or \g to the statement.

The application can include one or more parameter markers in the SQL statement by embedding question mark (“?”) characters into the SQL string at the appropriate positions.

The markers are legal only in certain places in SQL statements. For example, they are allowed in the VALUES() list of an INSERT statement (to specify column values for a row), or in a comparison with a column in a WHERE clause to specify a comparison value. However, they are not allowed for identifiers (such as table or column names), or to specify both operands of a binary operator such as the = equal sign. The latter restriction is necessary because it would be impossible to determine the parameter type. In general, parameters are legal only in Data Manipulation Language (DML) statements, and not in Data Definition Language (DDL) statements.

The parameter markers must be bound to application variables using mysql_stmt_bind_param() before executing the statement.

As of MySQL 6.0.6, metadata changes to tables or views referred to by prepared statements are detected and cause automatic repreparation of the statement when it is next executed. For more information, see Section 12.7.1, “Automatic Prepared Statement Repreparation”.

Return Values

Zero if the statement was prepared successfully. Non-zero if an error occurred.

Errors

If the prepare operation was unsuccessful (that is, mysql_stmt_prepare() returns non-zero), the error message can be obtained by calling mysql_stmt_error().

Example

For the usage of mysql_stmt_prepare(), refer to the Example from Section 28.2.7.10, “mysql_stmt_execute()”.