Home
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.
Binary send and receiveBinary send and receive functions transfer the binary representation of the opaque data type to and from the client.

Binary send and receive

Binary send and receive functions transfer the binary representation of the opaque data type to and from the client.

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

Binary send and receive functions allow the client and server to execute on different operating systems, with different data type representations. When a client connects with a server, it sends a description of its data representation. The server calls the binary send function to convert opaque data type values to the client format before sending them to the client. The binary receive function converts a value arriving from the client binary format to the server binary format.

You do not have to know the specifics about data representation on different operating systems to convert an instance of a data type. Binary send and receive functions call DataBlade® API routines for each member of the structure to convert values to the appropriate C data type representation for the destination platform.

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	OpaqueSend(), OpaqueRecv()
C	OpaqueSend(), OpaqueReceive()
C++	Send(), Receive()

Rate this topic

5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star

Comment on this topic.

By clicking this box, you acknowledge that you are NOT a U.S. Federal Government employee or agency, nor are you submitting information with respect to or on behalf of one. HCL provides software and services to U.S. Federal Government customers through its partners immixGroup, Inc. Contact this team at https://hcltechsw.com/resources/us-government-contact. Do not include any personal data in this Comment box.