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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.
Informix® extensions and DataBlade® modules
These topics describe how to use built-in database extensions and separately installed DataBlade® modules.
Database Extensions User's Guide
The Informix® Database Extensions User's Guide explains how to use the database extensions that come with HCL Informix: Large Object Locator, MQ messaging, binary data types, basic text search, node data type, and SQL packages.
MQ Messaging
WebSphere® MQ (WMQ) messaging products provide an infrastructure for distributed, asynchronous communication of data in a distributed, heterogeneous environment. The WMQ message queue allows you to easily exchange information across platforms.
MQ messaging tables
You use Virtual-Table Interface (VTI) access method to access WMQ queues using table semantics.

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.
  - Database Extensions User's Guide
    The Informix® Database Extensions User's Guide explains how to use the database extensions that come with HCL Informix: Large Object Locator, MQ messaging, binary data types, basic text search, node data type, and SQL packages.
    - Large object management
      The Large Object Locator extension enables you to create a single consistent interface to large objects. It extends the concept of large objects to include data stored outside the database.
    - MQ Messaging
      WebSphere® MQ (WMQ) messaging products provide an infrastructure for distributed, asynchronous communication of data in a distributed, heterogeneous environment. The WMQ message queue allows you to easily exchange information across platforms.
      - About MQ messaging
        You can use either functions or tables to communicate between a database server application and the WebSphere® MQ queue.
      - MQ messaging tables
        You use Virtual-Table Interface (VTI) access method to access WMQ queues using table semantics.
        Schema mapping
        When a table is bound to a WMQ queue, the schema is mapped directly to WMQ objects.
        General table behavior
        WMQ metadata tables operate in specified ways.
        Create and bind a table
        Use the MQCreateVtiReceive() function to create a table and bind it to a queue.
        Use INSERT and SELECT
        After a table is bound to a queue, use INSERT to insert items into the WMQ queue, and SELECT to retrieve WMQ messages.
        Retrieve the queue element
        Use the MQRead() function to retrieve the queue element.
        Special considerations
        Binding a table to a queue creates a useful interface between the queue and the database. However, due to the inherent limitations of a queue, not all database functionality can be used.
        Table errors
        Tables that are mapped to WMQ can generate non-database errors if the underlying WMQ request fails.
      - MQ messaging functions
        MQ messaging functions to enable applications to exchange data directly between the application and WebSphere® MQ.
      - MQ messaging configuration parameters
        When you use MQ messaging over a network, you must set several database server configuration parameters,
      - MQ messaging error handling
        This topic describes MQ messaging error codes.
      - Sample MQ messaging code
        This topic contains sample SQL statements that you can run in the stores_demo database, using DB-Access.
    - Binary data types
      The binary18 and binaryvar data types allow you to store binary-encoded strings, which can be indexed for quick retrieval.
    - Basic Text Search
      You can perform basic text searching for words and phrases in a document repository stored in a column of a table.
    - Hierarchical data type
      The node data type helps to resolve a difficult relational database problem–transitive closure.
    - SQL Packages Extension
      The SQL packages extension provides SPL routines that you can use in an application that is compatible with database servers other than Informix®.
    - Regex pattern matching
      Regular expressions combine literal characters and metacharaters to define the search and replace criteria. You run the functions from the Informix® Regex extension to find matches to strings, replace strings, and split strings into substrings.
  - Performing XML Publishing
    The Informix® XML User's Guide includes information about using built-in functions for XML publishing with Informix.
  - Spatiotemporal Search for Moving Objects User's Guide
    The describes how to program applications to search data from moving objects in HCL Informix® databases using the spatiotemporal search extension.
  - TimeSeries Data User's Guide
    The Informix® TimeSeries Data User's Guide contains information to assist you in using the TimeSeries extension with HCL Informix.
  - Web DataBlade Module
    Use the Web DataBlade® module to create web applications that incorporate data that is retrieved dynamically from the HCL Informix® database.
- 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.

MQ messaging tables

You use Virtual-Table Interface (VTI) access method to access WMQ queues using table semantics.

VTI binds tables to WMQ queues, creating transparent access to WMQ objects and enabling users to access the queue as if it were a table. For more information about VTI, see the Informix® Virtual-Table Interface Programmer's Guide.