---
title: "TYPE"
id: ecpg-sql-type
pg_version: "20devel"
---

<a id="ecpg-sql-type"></a>

# TYPE — define a new data type

## Synopsis

```
TYPE type_name IS ctype
```

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## Description

The `TYPE` command defines a new C type. It is equivalent to putting a `typedef` into a declare section. 

This command is only recognized when `ecpg` is run with the `-c` option. 

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## Parameters

<a id="ecpg-sql-type-type-name"></a>

**`type_name`**

 The name for the new type. It must be a valid C type name. <a id="ecpg-sql-type-ctype"></a>

**`ctype`**

 A C type specification. <a id="id-1.7.5.20.17.5"></a>

## Examples


EXEC SQL TYPE customer IS
    struct
    {
        varchar name[50];
        int     phone;
    };

EXEC SQL TYPE cust_ind IS
    struct ind
    {
        short   name_ind;
        short   phone_ind;
    };

EXEC SQL TYPE c IS char reference;
EXEC SQL TYPE ind IS union { int integer; short smallint; };
EXEC SQL TYPE intarray IS int[AMOUNT];
EXEC SQL TYPE str IS varchar[BUFFERSIZ];
EXEC SQL TYPE string IS char[11];
Here is an example program that uses `EXEC SQL TYPE`: 
EXEC SQL WHENEVER SQLERROR SQLPRINT;

EXEC SQL TYPE tt IS
    struct
    {
        varchar v[256];
        int     i;
    };

EXEC SQL TYPE tt_ind IS
    struct ind {
        short   v_ind;
        short   i_ind;
    };

int
main(void)
{
EXEC SQL BEGIN DECLARE SECTION;
    tt t;
    tt_ind t_ind;
EXEC SQL END DECLARE SECTION;

    EXEC SQL CONNECT TO testdb AS con1;
    EXEC SQL SELECT pg_catalog.set_config('search_path', '', false); EXEC SQL COMMIT;

    EXEC SQL SELECT current_database(), 256 INTO :t:t_ind LIMIT 1;

    printf("t.v = %s\n", t.v.arr);
    printf("t.i = %d\n", t.i);

    printf("t_ind.v_ind = %d\n", t_ind.v_ind);
    printf("t_ind.i_ind = %d\n", t_ind.i_ind);

    EXEC SQL DISCONNECT con1;

    return 0;
}
 The output from this program looks like this: 
t.v = testdb
t.i = 256
t_ind.v_ind = 0
t_ind.i_ind = 0
 

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## Compatibility

The `TYPE` command is a PostgreSQL extension.