Reply Format

When a DBM command, or a script with DBM commands is executed in Database Manager, you receive a reply from Database Manager.

The communication is in ASCII format. Only in special cases, such as binary file access, do the request and reply also contain binary data. This makes the replies easy to read on the client side. It also largely avoids dependencies on the hardware architecture.

If the DBM command has been successful, an OK message is output in the following format:

OK[,<description>]

[<answer>]

The character string OK is the first token of the reply. There is an optional explanatory text on the same line.

The reply data is given on the following line. The structure of the reply data depends on the particular DBM command.

If a DBM command results in an error, an error message is output in the following format

ERR[,<description>]

[<err_code>,<err_description>

[<sub_code>,<sub_description>]

[<extended_description>]]

An error always starts with the character string ERR. The same line may also contain an optional description.

The next line may include the error message number ( <err_code>) and a relevant text ( <err_description>).

If the system has the error message number and relevant text of a subcomponent (for example, runtime environment or operating system), these are output as <sub_code> and <sub_description>.

Any additional information follows in the <extended_description>. Special cases, in which the <extended description> has a structured format, are described with the respective DBM commands. You will find an explanation of individual reply fields there.

Messages documentation