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<chapter id="ecpg">

<title><application>ECPG</application> - Embedded <acronym>SQL</acronym> in C</title>

<xref linkend="datatype-numeric"> for the equivalent type in the

<productname>PostgreSQL</> server. Because of the arbitrary precision this

variable needs to be able to expand and shrink dynamically. That's why you

can only create variables on the heap by means of the

can only createnumericvariables on the heap, by means of the

<function>PGTYPESnumeric_new</> and <function>PGTYPESnumeric_free</>

functions. The decimal type, which is similar but limited intheprecision,

functions. The decimal type, which is similar but limited in precision,

can be created on the stack as well as on the heap.

</para>

<para>

<title>The decimal type</title>

<para>

The decimal type is similar to the numeric type. However it is limited to

amaximal precision of 30 significant digits. In contrast to the numeric

amaximum precision of 30 significant digits. In contrast to the numeric

type which can be created on the heap only, the decimal type can be

created either on the stack or on the heap (by means of the functions

<function>PGTYPESdecimal_new()</> and <function>PGTYPESdecimal_free()</>. There are a lot of other

functions that deal with the decimal type in the <productname>Informix</productname> compatibility

mode described in <xref linkend="ecpg-informix-compat">.

<function>PGTYPESdecimal_new</> and

<function>PGTYPESdecimal_free</>).

There are a lot of other functions that deal with the decimal type in the

<productname>Informix</productname> compatibility mode described in <xref

linkend="ecpg-informix-compat">.

</para>

<para>

The following functions can be used to work with the decimal type and are