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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.
DBDK InfoShelf
The DataBlade® Developers Kit InfoShelf is designed to help you work with BladeSmith.
DataBlade® Developers Kit Tutorial
The Tutorial is a set of exercises that demonstrate how to create extensions to HCL Informix® and package them as DataBlade® modules by using DBDK. Support for DataBlade Developers Kit (DBDK) is removed starting Informix Server 14.10.xC6.
Glossary
This section contains additional reference information
BladeSmith

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.
    - DBDK InfoShelf
      The DataBlade® Developers Kit InfoShelf is designed to help you work with BladeSmith.
      - Example descriptions
        This section describes the example DataBlade® modules provided with the DataBlade Developers Kit.
      - DataBlade® Developers Kit Tutorial
        The Tutorial is a set of exercises that demonstrate how to create extensions to HCL Informix® and package them as DataBlade® modules by using DBDK. Support for DataBlade Developers Kit (DBDK) is removed starting Informix Server 14.10.xC6.
        Tutorial exercise 1: Creating a simple user-defined routine
        This exercise demonstrates how to use the tools of the -- BladeSmith and the DBDK Visual C++ Add-In--to create a DataBlade® module with a user-defined routine and to debug it.
        Tutorial exercise 2: Creating distinct data types and casts
        This exercise demonstrates how to create distinct data types and the casts that convert them. This exercise consists of 14 steps. It takes approximately one hour to complete.
        Tutorial exercise 3: Creating row data types
        This exercise demonstrates how to create row data types and user-defined routines that operate on them. This exercise consists of 11 steps. It takes approximately one hour to complete.
        Tutorial exercise 4: Creating opaque data types
        This exercise demonstrates how to create opaque data types, their support routines, and user-defined routines that operate on them. This exercise has 11 steps. It takes approximately one hour to complete.
        Tutorial exercise 5: Using interfaces
        This exercise demonstrates how to use interfaces to define how one DataBlade® module depends on another. This exercise has 16 steps. It takes approximately one hour to complete
        Tutorial exercise 6: Using smart large objects
        This exercise demonstrates how to create a DataBlade® module that handles smart large objects. This exercise has nine steps. It takes approximately one hour to complete.
        Glossary
        This section contains additional reference information
        BladeSmith
        BladeManager
        Makefiles
        SQL scripts
        Registration
        Special stack requirements
        MI_FPARAM argument
        boolean
        double precision
        Buffered log
        cast support function
        SQL error code
        Behavior of routines
        ESQL/C conversion function
        implicit type conversion
        mi_lvarchar data type
        Text input and output functions
        Binary send and receive functions
        Binary file import and export functions
        Text file import and export functions
        Contains large objects routines
        Type compare functions
        MI_LO_HANDLE data type
        Cost of a routine
        Generating code
        Assign() functions
        Client implementation
        fixed size
        Internal structure
        Server Implementation
        Support routines
        Routine calling options
        Related routines
        Statement local variables
        Locale
        BladePack
        Opaque data types
        Row data types
        Server compatibility
        Building a DataBlade® module
        Inheritance
        Distinct data types
        Casts
        Explicit cast
        mi_db_error_raise() function
        New object prefix
        mi_fp_setreturnisnull() function
        An sbspace
        Smart large objects
        Custom SQL file
        Objects dependent on SQL
        Impedance
        Pythagorean formula
        Wrapper function
        EXECUTE FUNCTION SYSBldTstSBSpace(" "); statement
        Registration failure with an sbspace test
        Object grant privileges
        Assigning a database server and test database to a project
        Debug DataBlade® module
        Unit test files
        Installing the DBDK Visual C++ Add-In
        IfxQuery tool
        mi_integer data type
        Routine name
        Routine signature
        mercury.txt file
        udr.c routine
        CTempAssign.c routine
        CTempCast.c routine
        DecToTemp.c routine
        FTempAssign.c routine
        FTempCast.c routine
        IntToTempCast.c routine
        rowcircle.txt file with information for creating tables and rows
        Pnt.c source code file
        Circ.c source code file
        circle.txt file with information for creating tables and rows
        interface.txt file with information for creating a table with a circle column
        Poem.c generated source file
        poem.txt file with information for creating a table with a poem column
  - 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.

BladeSmith

BladeSmith is a tool for organizing a DataBlade® module development project. You use BladeSmith to create a project, and then you define the objects (such as data types and routines) that belong to the DataBlade® module. BladeSmith generates source files, header files, makefiles, unit and functional test files, SQL scripts, messages, and packaging files.