Preface

Welcome to Pro*C/C++ Getting Started for Windows Platforms. This guide introduces Release 8.0 of the Pro*C/C++ programmatic interface and describes how you use it under the Windows NT and Windows 95. It includes:

Audience

Use this guide if you are using Pro*C/C++. It describes all the information you need to run Pro*C/C++.

Prerequisites

This guide assumes that you understand the following:

You should be familiar with your computer and its operating system. For example, you should know the commands for deleting and copying files and understand the concepts of the search path, subdirectories, and path names.
You should also understand the fundamentals of the Microsoft Windows platform that you are using, such as Taskbar and Windows Explorer in Windows NT and Windows 95, and the elements of an application window.
Additionally, you should know how to use Microsoft Visual C++ or Borland C++ commands.

How this Guide Is Organized

This guide is composed of the following sections:

Chapter	Description
Chapter 1	Introduces the Pro*C/C++ software and describes its features.
Chapter 2	Describes the Pro*C/C++ graphical user interface and provides step-by-step instructions for creating and precompiling a project.
Chapter 3	Explains how to build standard executables using your precompiled project.
Appendix A	Provides instructions for integrating Pro*C/C++ into a Microsoft Visual C++ environment.
Appendix B	Provides instructions for integrating Pro*C/C++ into a Borland Visual C++ environment.

Conventions Used in this Guide

Oracle home directories

Oracle Installer creates a top-level directory on your hard disk called Oracle home. The default Oracle home directory for Windows NT is ORANT and for Windows 95 is ORAWIN95. These directories are referred to as ORACLE_HOME throughout this document.

In examples, an implied carriage return occurs at the end of each line, unless otherwise noted. You must press the Return key at the end of a line of input.

Typographical Conventions

Note these typographical conventions when reading this Guide:

Convention	Meaning
Monospace text	Indicates text that must be typed exactly as shown. `SET ECHO OFF`
All uppercase plain	Indicate command names, SQL reserved words and keywords as in ALTER DATABASE. All uppercase plain is also used for directory names and file names. ORANT\DATABASE\INITORCL.ORA
Italics	Indicate a value that you must provide. For example, if a command asks you to type filename, you must type the actual name of the file. Italics are also used for emphasis in the text and to indicate the titles of other manuals.
Horizontal ellipsis . .	Indicate that parts of the statement or command not directly related to the example have been omitted. `CHKVAL` fieldname value 1 value 2... valueN
Vertical bar \|	Represents an `or' option between several options. You must enter only one of the options. Do not enter the vertical bar. The set of alternative choices is enclosed by curly braces if one of the items is required, or by square brackets if the item is an optional alternative.
Curly braces {}	Encloses required items. You must choose one of the alternatives. `..DEFINE {` macro1 \| macro2 `}`
Square brackets [ ]	Enclose optional items. You can choose one or none of the alternatives. `cvtcrt` termname `[`outfile`]` Square brackets also indicate a function key, for example [Enter].
C:\>	Represents the Windows NT command prompt of the current hard disk drive. Your prompt may differ and may, at times, reflect the subdirectory in which you are working.
Backslash (\) before a directory name	Indicates that the directory is a subdirectory. For example, \DATABASE.

Related Publications

For general information about using Pro*C/C++ under all operating systems, consult the Programmer's Guide to the Oracle Pro*C/C++ Precompiler.

The Programmer's Guide to the Oracle Pro*C/C++ Precompiler document and this guide are available in HTML format. To view them, start a web browser and choose the document(s) you want to view and/or print.