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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.
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™.
Prepare your environment on UNIX™
Test and debug your DataBlade® module in a nonproduction HCL Informix® database server environment because debugging interferes with the operation of the database server.

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.
      - 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™.
        Prerequisite tasks
        Prepare your environment on UNIX™
        Test and debug your DataBlade® module in a nonproduction HCL Informix® database server environment because debugging interferes with the operation of the database server.
        The shared object file
        A DataBlade® module exists in the HCL Informix® database server as a shared object. The shared object file is loaded into the database server the first time one of its routines is executed after the database server is started. The shared object file is unloaded every time the database server is stopped.
        Install and register DataBlade® modules
        Installing a DataBlade® module places the files of the module in a subdirectory of the $INFORMIXDIR/extend directory; registering a DataBlade module adds the module to a database. You must install and register before you can test or debug a DataBlade module.
        Debugging a DataBlade® module
        Debugging a DataBlade® module is usually an iterative process, repeated many times until the code is debugged.
        Debugging a UNIX™ DataBlade® module with Windows™
        Debug a UNIX™ DataBlade® module from your Windows™ computer by logging in to a UNIX computer from your Windows computer and running the debugger in a telnet session or an X window emulation program.
        Performing 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. By default, these files are created in the functest subdirectory of the directory containing the BladeSmith project file.
      - 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.

Prepare your environment on UNIX™

Test and debug your DataBlade® module in a nonproduction HCL Informix® database server environment because debugging interferes with the operation of the database server.

To successfully test and debug your DataBlade® module, set your environment so you can access your Informix® database server installation and build your DataBlade® module shared object.

To run your Informix® database server, check that these environment variables are set properly: INFORMIXDIR, PATH, LD_LIBRARY_PATH, ONCONFIG, and INFORMIXSERVER. See the Informix® Administrator's Guide for more information about configuring your Informix® database server.

When testing your DataBlade® module, set the TESTDB environment variable to the name of your test database.

To recompile your DataBlade® module shared object file during debugging, also set the TARGET environment variable. See Compiling on a UNIX operating system for more information about the TARGET environment variable.