With Clause in Pro*C?

Question

Is it possible to use version 9's with clause (aka
subquery factoring) within pro*C? Queries that work
fine in SQL*Plus cause the pre-compiler to fail. For
example:
SQL> with test as (select 1 one from dual)
2 select * from test
3 /
ONE
1
Taking the same query and embedding it in a Pro*C program,
produces the following results:
EXEC SQL
with test as (select 1 one from dual)
SELECT *
INTO :n
FROM test;
$ proc ora_test.pc
Pro*C/C++: Release 9.2.0.5.0 - Production on Mon Dec 20 13:27:16 2004
Copyright (c) 1982, 2002, Oracle Corporation. All rights reserved.
System default option values taken from: /ora/product/9.2.0/precomp/admin/pcscfg.cfg
Syntax error at line 20, column 7, file ora_test.pc:
Error at line 20, column 7 in file ora_test.pc
with test as (select 1 one from dual)
......1
PCC-S-02201, Encountered the symbol "with" when expecting one of the following:
for, register, at, close, commit, connect, declare, describe,
execute, fetch, open, prepare, rollback, select, whenever,
alter, audit, comment, create, delete, drop, get, grant,
insert, lock, noaudit, rename, revoke, set, update, validate,
arraylen, allocate, cache, call, collection, context,
deallocate, enable, free, lob, object, savepoint, analyze,
explain, truncate,
The symbol "alter," was substituted for "with" to continue.
Parser error at line 22, column 15, file ora_test.pc:
Error at line 22, column 15 in file ora_test.pc
INTO :n
..............1
PCC-S-02206, Host variables are not permitted within a DDL statement
Error at line 0, column 0 in file ora_test.pc
PCC-F-02102, Fatal error while doing C preprocessing

Answer 1

I suppose that the 'with clause ' is a new feature of ORACLE9 ? Well, lets dive in the fabulous world of ORACLE development :
When the parser of ORACLE9 has been enhanced to accept ORACLE9 new features and syntax (especially the SQL1999 join syntax), the parser of PRO*C and PRO*Cobol still stayed at the ORACLE8 syntax level. The parser is at the Precompiler side.
This means that you have NO CHANCE to even precompile a ORACLE9 syntax SQL statement with any precompiler tool.
This is not a bug (from metalink) because the Oracle Development project for the new parser has not been started yet. I the product is not developped, it is not a bug , and i understand that they cannot correct the flaw.
This is not corrected in any known ORACLE10 version - just because the project has not yet started !!!
The only workaround that i have found consists in using a View which contains the syntax. This works fine for JOIN queries, i do not have tested for the 'with clause'.
Maybe other workarounds available at the metalink side.
Regards
Frederic