One way to do this without extending the language itself would be
to make use of Microsoft's Open Data Base Connection (ODBC)
datatabase independent C calling sequence standard. ODBC is
MS-Windows specific but there is no reason, in principle, that I
know of that one could not also use its definition to provide a
calling standard for transparent access to arbitrary relational
databases on other platforms too.
Lou Kates, louk@teleride.on.ca