What is the benefit of using sqlite3_data_count() over sqlite3_column_count() in the SQLite C API?

Question

After reading the docs, it seems the the function sqlite3_column_count does all the same, but doesn't have the restrictions that sqlite3_data_count has.

Why would I ever want to use sqlite3_data_count over sqlite3_column_count? thanks!

Answer 1

I've looked up the sources of the two functions:

/*
** Return the number of columns in the result set for the statement pStmt.
*/
SQLITE_API int sqlite3_column_count(sqlite3_stmt *pStmt){
  Vdbe *pVm = (Vdbe *)pStmt;
  return pVm ? pVm->nResColumn : 0;
}

/*
** Return the number of values available from the current row of the
** currently executing statement pStmt.
*/
SQLITE_API int sqlite3_data_count(sqlite3_stmt *pStmt){
  Vdbe *pVm = (Vdbe *)pStmt;
  if( pVm==0 || pVm->pResultSet==0 ) return 0;
  return pVm->nResColumn;
}

Now it is clear what the difference is, so NickD was right.

By the way, the documentation is horrible: "The sqlite3_data_count(P) the number of columns in the of the result set of prepared statement P." That's not even correct English, the comments that come with the function definitions are much better.