(PHP 3>= 3.0.4, PHP 4 , PHP 5)
ifx_prepare -- Prepare an SQL-statement for execution
Syntax
int 
ifx_prepare ( string query, int conn_id [, int cursor_def, mixed blobidarray] )
     Returns an integer result_id for use by
     ifx_do(). Sets
     affected_rows for retrieval by the
     ifx_affected_rows() function.  
    
     Prepares query on connection
     conn_id. For "select-type" queries a
     cursor is declared and opened. The optional
     cursor_type parameter allows you to make
     this a "scroll" and/or "hold" cursor.  It's a bitmask and can be
     either IFX_SCROLL, IFX_HOLD, or both or'ed together.
    
 
     For either query type the estimated number of affected rows is
     saved for retrieval by ifx_affected_rows().
    
     If you have BLOB (BYTE or TEXT) columns in the query, you can add
     a blobidarray parameter containing the
     corresponding "blob ids", and you should replace those columns
     with a "?" in the query text.
    
     If the contents of the TEXT (or BYTE) column allow it, you can
     also use "ifx_textasvarchar(1)" and "ifx_byteasvarchar(1)".  This
     allows you to treat TEXT (or BYTE) columns just as if they were
     ordinary (but long) VARCHAR columns for select queries, and you
     don't need to bother with blob id's.
    
     With ifx_textasvarchar(0) or ifx_byteasvarchar(0) (the default
     situation), select queries will return BLOB columns as blob id's
     (integer value).  You can get the value of the blob as a string
     or file with the blob functions (see below).
    
     See also: ifx_do().