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Extending Informix®Beyond standard relational database objects, HCL Informix® can be extended to handle specialized data types, access methods, routines, and other objects. Informix® includes many built-in extensions that are fully integrated in the database server. Informix® also provides DataBlade® modules, which are packages of extended database objects for a particular purpose and that are installed separately from the database server. Alternatively, you can create your own user-defined objects for Informix®.
Creating extensionsYou can create user-defined data types, routines, access methods, and other database objects to suit your needs. You can use application programming interfaces to write user-defined routines and applications that access data in Informix® databases.
DataBlade® Developers KitThe DataBlade® Developers Kit (DBDK) guides contain information about the tools you can use to develop and package DataBlade® modules, which extend the functionality of HCL Informix® databases.
DataBlade® Developers Kit User's GuideThe HCL Informix® DataBlade® Developers Kit User's Guide describes how to use tools to develop and package DataBlade® modules.
Create DataBlade® objects by using BladeSmithUse BladeSmith to create DataBlade® modules.
Create DataBlade® module objectsBladeSmith uses wizards to create and edit objects.
Create data typesYou can create extended data types in BladeSmith. In addition, you must define qualified built-in data types before you can use them in a BladeSmith project.
Opaque data typeAn opaque data type is a C structure or C++/ActiveX class. The database server does not interpret the contents of the structure. Instead, it calls support routines that you provide to manipulate the structure.
Support routinesYou can select from different categories of support routines to support your opaque data type.
Basic text input and outputBasic text input and output functions convert between the text representation of the opaque data type and the internal database server format.

Basic text input and output

Basic text input and output functions convert between the text representation of the opaque data type and the internal database server format.

This category is valid for the C and C++ languages. BladeSmith generates this category by default.

The text representation of an opaque data type is an mi_lvarchar value that contains a printable representation of an instance of the data type. The text representation enters values for the data type in SQL statements such as INSERT and displays values in output from SQL statements such as SELECT.

The names of these functions differ for different programming languages, as listed in the following table.

Table 1. Functions for different programming languages
Language	Function names
SQL	OpaqueIn(), OpaqueOut()
C	OpaqueInput(), OpaqueOutput()
C++	FromString(), ToString()

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