Using the COUNT Keyword

Use the COUNT keyword to determine how many items are described in the system-descriptor area.

The following Informix® ESQL/C example shows how to use a GET DESCRIPTOR statement with a host variable to determine how many items are described in the system-descriptor area called desc1:
main()
{
EXEC SQL BEGIN DECLARE SECTION;
int h_count;
EXEC SQL END DECLARE SECTION;

EXEC SQL allocate descriptor 'desc1' with max 20;

/* This section of program would prepare a SELECT or INSERT 
 * statement into the s_id statement id.
*/
EXEC SQL describe s_id using sql descriptor 'desc1';

EXEC SQL get descriptor 'desc1' :h_count = count;
...
}