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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 extensions
You 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 Kit
The 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 Guide
The HCL Informix® DataBlade® Developers Kit User's Guide describes how to use tools to develop and package DataBlade modules.
Create DataBlade® objects by using BladeSmith
Use BladeSmith to create DataBlade® modules.
Task overview

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.
- Informix® extensions and DataBlade® modules
  These topics describe how to use built-in database extensions and separately installed DataBlade® modules.
- Creating extensions
  You 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® API Programmer's Guide
    The Informix® DataBlade® API Programmer's Guide describes information about the DataBlade API, the C-language application programming interface (API) provided with HCL Informix.
  - DataBlade® API Function Reference
    The Informix® DataBlade® API Function Reference describes the DataBlade API functions and the subset of Informix ESQL/C functions that the DataBlade API supports.
  - DataBlade® Developers Kit
    The 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® Module Development Overview
      The HCL Informix® DataBlade® module overview serves as an overview of the HCL Informix DataBlade module development process.
    - DataBlade® Developers Kit User's Guide
      The HCL Informix® DataBlade® Developers Kit User's Guide describes how to use tools to develop and package DataBlade modules.
      - Getting started with DataBlade® module development
        This section provides an overview of DataBlade® module development and describes the resources and tools the HCL Informix® database server provides to facilitate development.
      - Design DataBlade® modules
        This section describes the DataBlade® module SQL design issues.
      - Programming guidelines
        Use this section to help you when you write the design specification for your DataBlade® module.
      - Create DataBlade® objects by using BladeSmith
        Use BladeSmith to create DataBlade® modules.
        Prerequisite tasks
        Before you begin using BladeSmith, design your DataBlade® module.
        Task overview
        BladeSmith project window
        The BladeSmith project window is divided into two panes. One pane, called the project view, contains a tree representing the hierarchy of the objects in the project, with folders for files, imported objects, and user-defined objects. The other pane, called the item view, contains information about the object selected in the project view.
        Create a project
        Importing interfaces from another DataBlade® module
        A DataBlade® module can access data types and routines provided by another DataBlade module if you import an interface from that DataBlade module.
        Create DataBlade® module objects
        BladeSmith uses wizards to create and edit objects.
        Perform functional test data
        You can perform functional tests on your DataBlade® module routines by using the functional tests generated by BladeSmith. You must enter test data for functional tests in BladeSmith. You run functional tests on UNIX™, or you run them on Windows™ by using a toolkit that is compatible with UNIX, such as MKS Toolkit.
        Add SQL files
        Use BladeSmith to add custom SQL commands to the scripts that describe a DataBlade® module and its objects. You can include SQL commands to create tables, indexes, or SPL procedures your DataBlade module requires.
        Add client files
        Client files you include in your BladeSmith project are downloaded to client workstations after a DataBlade® module is installed on a database server.
        Generate files
        When you generate files, BladeSmith creates files that describe the objects you defined in your project.
      - Programming DataBlade® module routines in C
        This section contains information to help you edit and compile C language source code generated by DataBlade®.
      - Create ActiveX value objects
        This section describes how to use the to create ActiveX value objects. This section describes the use of C++ to implement opaque type support routines.
      - The ActiveX value objects
        This section provides information for client application developers who are using ActiveX value objects.
      - Programming DataBlade® modules in Java™
        This section contains information to help you edit and compile Java™ language source code generated by BladeSmith.
      - Debugging and testing DataBlade® modules on UNIX™
        This section describes how to debug and perform functional tests for DataBlade® modules written in C for Informix® on UNIX™.
      - Debugging and testing DataBlade® modules on Windows™
        This section describes how to debug and perform functional tests for DataBlade® modules written in C and C++ for Informix® on Windows™.
      - BladePack
        BladePack creates installation packages for DataBlade® modules and other software products.
      - Appendixes
        This section contains additional reference information.
    - DBDK InfoShelf
      The DataBlade® Developers Kit InfoShelf is designed to help you work with BladeSmith.
  - J/Foundation Developer's Guide
    The J/Foundation Developer's Guide describes how to write user-defined routines (UDRs) in the Java™ programming language for Informix®.
  - R-Tree Index User's Guide
    The Informix® R-Tree Index User's Guide describes the HCL Informix R-tree secondary access method and how to access and use its components.
  - User-Defined Routines and Data Types Developer's Guide
    The Informix® User-Defined Routines and Data Types Developer's Guide describes how to define new data types and enable user-defined routines (UDRs) to extend HCL Informix.
  - Virtual-Table Interface Guide
    The Informix® Virtual-Table Interface Programmer's Guide explains how to create a primary access method with the Virtual-Table Interface (VTI) so that users have a single SQL interface to HCL Informix tables and to data that does not conform to the storage scheme of HCL Informix.
  - Virtual-Index Interface Guide
    The Informix® Virtual-Index Interface Programmer's Guide explains how to create a secondary access method with the Virtual-Index Interface (VII) to extend the built-in indexing schemes of HCL Informix typically with a DataBlade® module.

Task overview

About this task

After you design your DataBlade® module, complete these general tasks to implement your design with BladeSmith:

Procedure

Create a DataBlade® module project.
Import interfaces from other DataBlade® module projects on which you want your DataBlade® module to depend.
Define new DataBlade® module objects, in this order:
1. Data types
2. Routines, aggregates, and casts
3. Custom SQL and client files
Add functional test data for each opaque data type support routine, user-defined routine, and cast support function.
Generate DataBlade® module files.

Results

BladeSmith uses code templates to generate much of the code for your DataBlade® module objects. However, you must add code to make your routines operate the way you intend. After you edit the source code files, compile them; then test and debug them.

You can modify your project file, generate files, and recompile the source code as often as necessary until your development is complete. BladeSmith merges your previous edits into the newly generated source code files. When your DataBlade® module is complete, use BladePack to create installation packages for each platform you support.