---
title: "Processing Embedded SQL Programs"
id: ecpg-process
pg_version: "20devel"
---

<a id="ecpg-process"></a>

## 34.10. Processing Embedded SQL Programs

Now that you have an idea how to form embedded SQL C programs, you probably want to know how to compile them. Before compiling you run the file through the embedded SQL C preprocessor, which converts the SQL statements you used to special function calls. After compiling, you must link with a special library that contains the needed functions. These functions fetch information from the arguments, perform the SQL command using the libpq interface, and put the result in the arguments specified for output. 

The preprocessor program is called `ecpg` and is included in a normal PostgreSQL installation. Embedded SQL programs are typically named with an extension `.pgc`. If you have a program file called `prog1.pgc`, you can preprocess it by simply calling: 
ecpg prog1.pgc
 This will create a file called `prog1.c`. If your input files do not follow the suggested naming pattern, you can specify the output file explicitly using the `-o` option. 

The preprocessed file can be compiled normally, for example: 
cc -c prog1.c
 The generated C source files include header files from the PostgreSQL installation, so if you installed PostgreSQL in a location that is not searched by default, you have to add an option such as `-I/usr/local/pgsql/include` to the compilation command line. 

To link an embedded SQL program, you need to include the `libecpg` library, like so: 
cc -o myprog prog1.o prog2.o ... -lecpg
 Again, you might have to add an option like `-L/usr/local/pgsql/lib` to that command line. 

You can use `pg_config` or `pkg-config` with package name `libecpg` to get the paths for your installation. 

If you manage the build process of a larger project using make, it might be convenient to include the following implicit rule to your makefiles: 
ECPG = ecpg

%.c: %.pgc
        $(ECPG) $<
 

The complete syntax of the `ecpg` command is detailed in [ecpg](app-ecpg.md). 

The ecpg library is thread-safe by default. However, you might need to use some threading command-line options to compile your client code.