PostgreSQL 9.4.1 Documentation
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# DESCRIBE

## Name

DESCRIBE -- obtain information about a prepared statement or result set

## Synopsis

    DESCRIBE [ OUTPUT ] prepared_name USING [ SQL ] DESCRIPTOR descriptor_name
    DESCRIBE [ OUTPUT ] prepared_name INTO [ SQL ] DESCRIPTOR descriptor_name
    DESCRIBE [ OUTPUT ] prepared_name INTO sqlda_name

## Description

`DESCRIBE` retrieves metadata information about the result columns contained in a prepared statement, without actually fetching a row.

## Parameters

`prepared_name`

  The name of a prepared statement. This can be an SQL identifier or a host variable.

`descriptor_name`

  A descriptor name. It is case sensitive. It can be an SQL identifier or a host variable.

`sqlda_name`

  The name of an SQLDA variable.

## Examples

    EXEC SQL ALLOCATE DESCRIPTOR mydesc;
    EXEC SQL PREPARE stmt1 FROM :sql_stmt;
    EXEC SQL DESCRIBE stmt1 INTO SQL DESCRIPTOR mydesc;
    EXEC SQL GET DESCRIPTOR mydesc VALUE 1 :charvar = NAME;
    EXEC SQL DEALLOCATE DESCRIPTOR mydesc;

## Compatibility

`DESCRIBE` is specified in the SQL standard.

## See Also

ALLOCATE DESCRIPTOR, GET DESCRIPTOR

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