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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.
Programming DataBlade® modules in Java™
This section contains information to help you edit and compile Java™ language source code generated by BladeSmith.
Debug and test DataBlade® Modules written in Java™
This section describes debugging and performing functional tests on DataBlade® module routines written in Java™.
Debugging a DataBlade® module
Debugging a DataBlade® module is usually an iterative process, repeated several times until the code is debugged.
Register a DataBlade® module
You need to register your DataBlade® module the first time you install it and register later if you change the definition of any of your DataBlade module objects in BladeSmith and generate new SQL files. You do not have to reregister your DataBlade module when you only replace its JAR file.

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.
      - 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.
        Prerequisite tasks
        Java™ programming task overview
        Source files generated by BladeSmith
        When you create objects, BladeSmith generates the source files; some file names are prefixed with the name of the DataBlade® module (indicated by project). By default, BladeSmith creates the source files in the src and src\java subdirectories of the directory that contains the BladeSmith project file.
        The generated code
        Edit methods
        Compiling DataBlade® module Java code
        BladeSmith generates the Project_Java.mak makefile in the src\java directory. Use this makefile to compile Java™ code from the command line on UNIX™ and Windows™.
        Debug and test DataBlade® Modules written in Java™
        This section describes debugging and performing functional tests on DataBlade® module routines written in Java™.
        Preparing your environment
        Before you can debug or test your DataBlade® module, you must configure your HCL Informix® database server.
        Debugging a DataBlade® module
        Debugging a DataBlade® module is usually an iterative process, repeated several times until the code is debugged.
        Installing a DataBlade® module
        To install a DataBlade® module for debugging, create a project directory and copy the necessary files to it. Create the project directory under $INFORMIXDIR/extend. The name of the project directory is what BladeManager uses as the DataBlade module name.
        Register a DataBlade® module
        You need to register your DataBlade® module the first time you install it and register later if you change the definition of any of your DataBlade module objects in BladeSmith and generate new SQL files. You do not have to reregister your DataBlade module when you only replace its JAR file.
        Replace a DataBlade® module JAR file
        When a DataBlade® module is loaded onto the HCL Informix® database server, the database server stores it in the database server memory map. Therefore, if you overwrite a JAR file while it is loaded in the database server, you must stop and restart the database server to unload the old JAR file and load the new one.
        Perform functional tests
        When you generate functional tests, BladeSmith creates a set of files that include shell scripts and SQL scripts for testing opaque data type support routines, user-defined routines, and cast support functions.
      - 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.

Register a DataBlade® module

You need to register your DataBlade® module the first time you install it and register later if you change the definition of any of your DataBlade® module objects in BladeSmith and generate new SQL files. You do not have to reregister your DataBlade® module when you only replace its JAR file.

Important: You must have a default sbspace defined in your database server to hold your DataBlade® module JAR files. If you do not, BladeManager does not register your Java™ DataBlade® module.

See the Informix® DataBlade® Module Installation and Registration Guide for more information about registering DataBlade® modules.