title: What does /*i*/ syntax in SQL INSERT INTO Java String do
body: <p>I need to modify some legacy code for a web application. The previous author has used various SQL queries for some basic CRUD operations in a Java application</p>
  
  <p>Anyways, I am encountering statements like this:</p>
  
  <pre><code>String sql = "INSERT INTO DB.PERSON (PERSON_ID /*0*/, USER_ID /*1*/, EMP_ID /*2*/, "
    + " IN_DBX_FLAG /*3*/, FIRST_NAME /*4*/, MIDDLE_NAME /*5*/, LAST_NAME /*6*/)"
    + " VALUES (PERSON_S1.nextval ,/*1 USER_ID*/ ?, /*2 EMP_ID*/ ?, /*3 IN_DBX_FLAG*/ ?, "
    + " /*4 FIRST_NAME*/ ?,  "
    + " /*5 MIDDLE_NAME*/ ?, /*6 LAST_NAME*/ ?)";
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I am not quite sure exactly what the indices <code>/*i*/</code> mean. I believe they are used for preventing SQL injections. I also thought it may have been the column index, but this appears to be incorrect, since the indices do not always match up with the column indices. The code goes on to assign values like so:</p>
  
  <pre><code>createStatement.setString(1, myDto.getUserId());
  createStatement.setInt(2, myDto.getEmpId());
  createStatement.setString(3, myDto.isInDBXFlag());
  createStatement.setString(4, myDto.getFirstName());
  createStatement.setString(5, myDto.getMiddleName());
  createStatement.setString(6, myDto.getLastName());
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I searched for this and could not find anything that explicitly references this '/<em>i</em>/' syntax.</p>