Syntax options:

       INITIALIZE_HANDLES
       NOINITIALIZE_HANDLES

    Specifies whether or not alias definitions are coerced into alias
    references. The NOINITIALIZE_HANDLES qualifier causes all alias
    declarations to be treated as alias references.

    An alias definition is an alias declared with the GLOBAL keyword
    (the default) in the DECLARE ALIAS statement. An alias reference
    is an alias declared with the EXTERNAL keyword in the DECLARE
    ALIAS statement.

    The NOINITIALIZE_HANDLES qualifier may be useful for existing
    source code on OpenVMS in coercing alias definitions into alias
    references. Because there is usually no distinction between a
    definition and a reference on OpenVMS, your application might
    declare an alias definition where an alias reference is needed.
    If you reorganize your application into multiple images that
    share aliases, you must distinguish the alias definition from
    the alias reference. In this case, use the NOINITIALIZE_HANDLES
    qualifier to coerce a definition into a reference without
    changing your source code.

    If your application correctly declares alias references with the
    EXTERNAL keyword, use the NOEXTERNAL_GLOBALS qualifier, instead
    of the [NO]INITIALIZE_HANDLES to override the default on OpenVMS
    and cause SQL to treat alias references properly as references.

    The default setting is INITIALIZE_HANDLES. This qualifier
    overrides the [NO]EXTERNAL_GLOBALS qualifier.

    This qualifier is maintained for compatibility with previous
    versions of Oracle Rdb. Use the [NO]EXTERNAL_GLOBALS qualifier,
    which provides more precise control over alias definition. For
    information on using aliases and shareable images, see the Oracle
    Rdb Guide to SQL Programming.