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Client APIs and toolsYou can use the HCL Informix® implementation of client APIs to develop applications for Informix® database servers.
GLS User's GuideThe Informix® GLS User's Guide describes the Global Language Support (GLS) feature available in Informix® products.
SQL featuresThese topics explain how the GLS feature affects the Informix® implementation of SQL.
Character data typesThe locale affects the collation of built-in SQL character data types.
Localized collation of character dataThe choice of locale can affect the collating order of NCHAR and NVARCHAR character data types.
The NCHAR data typeThe NCHAR data type stores character data in a fixed-length field as a string of single-byte or multibyte letters, numbers, and other characters that are supported by the code set of your database locale.
Treat NCHAR values as numeric valuesIf you plan to perform calculations on numbers that are stored in a column, assign a numeric data type (such as INTEGER or FLOAT) to that column.

Treat NCHAR values as numeric values

If you plan to perform calculations on numbers that are stored in a column, assign a numeric data type (such as INTEGER or FLOAT) to that column.

The description of the CHAR data type in the Informix® Guide to SQL: Reference provides detailed reasons you do not store certain numeric values in CHAR values. The same reasons apply for certain numeric values as NCHAR values. Treat only numbers that have leading zeros (such as postal codes) as NCHAR data types. Use NCHAR only if you must sort the numeric values in localized order.

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