Syntax options: TRANSACTION_DEFAULT=IMPLICIT TRANSACTION_DEFAULT=DISTRIBUTED NOTRANSACTION_DEFAULT Specifies when SQL starts a transaction and how SQL handles default distributed transactions. You can specify the following options: o TRANSACTION_DEFAULT=IMPLICIT Causes SQL to start a transaction when you issue either a SET TRANSACTION statement or the first executable SQL statement in a session. o TRANSACTION_DEFAULT=DISTRIBUTED Causes SQL to use the distributed transaction identifier (TID) for the default distributed transaction established by the DECdtm system service SYS$START_TRANS. Using this option eliminates the need to declare context structures in host language programs and to pass context structures to SQL module procedures. Because it closes all cursors, it also eliminates the need to call the SQL_CLOSE_CURSORS routine. You must explicitly call the DECdtm system services when you use this option. This option provides support for the Structured Transaction Definition Language (STDL) of the Multivendor Integration Architecture (MIA) standard. If you specify the TRANSACTION_DEFAULT=DISTRIBUTED option with the CONTEXT qualifier, you must declare a context structure and pass the context structure to the statements named in the CONTEXT qualifier or, if you specify CONTEXT=ALL, to most executable statements involved in the distributed transaction. See the Oracle Rdb SQL Reference Manual for information about which executable statements do not require a context structure. o NOTRANSACTION_DEFAULT Prevents SQL from starting a transaction unless you execute a SET TRANSACTION statement. If you use this qualifier and issue an executable statement without first issuing a SET TRANSACTION statement, SQL returns an error. The default is TRANSACTION_DEFAULT=IMPLICIT.