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Client APIs and tools
You can use the HCL Informix® implementation of client APIs to develop applications for Informix database servers.
ESQL/C Guide
The Informix® ESQL/C Programmer's Manual explains how to use Informix ESQL/C, the Informix implementation of Embedded Structured Query Language (SQL) for C (ESQL/C), to create client applications with database-management capabilities.
What is Informix® ESQL/C?
Complex data types
These topics explain how to use collection and row data types in the Informix® ESQL/C program.
Access row types
Operate on a row variable
The SELECT, and UPDATE statements allow you to access a row-type column as a whole.
Specify field values

Client APIs and tools
You can use the HCL Informix® implementation of client APIs to develop applications for Informix database servers.
- Change Data Capture API Programmer's Guide
  The Informix® Change Data Capture API Programmer's Guide describes how to program applications to process changed data from HCL Informix databases using the Informix Change Data Capture API.
- Embedded SQLJ for HCL Informix®
  The Informix® Embedded SQLJ User's Guide contains information about using Informix Embedded SQLJ.
- ESQL/C Guide
  The Informix® ESQL/C Programmer's Manual explains how to use Informix ESQL/C, the Informix implementation of Embedded Structured Query Language (SQL) for C (ESQL/C), to create client applications with database-management capabilities.
  - What is Informix® ESQL/C?
    - Informix® ESQL/C programming
    - Compile programs
    - Informix® ESQL/C data types
      These topics contain information about the correspondence between SQL and C data types and how to handle data types in the Informix® ESQL/C program.
    - Character and string data types
      These topics explain how to use character data types in the Informix® ESQL/C program.
    - Numeric data types
    - Time data types
      These topics explain how to use date, datetime, and interval data types in the Informix® ESQL/C program.
    - Simple large objects
      A simple large object is a large object that is stored in a blobspace on disk and is not recoverable.
    - Smart large objects
      A smart large object is a data type that stores large, non-relational data objects such as images, sound clips, documents, graphics, maps and other large objects, and allows you to perform read, write, and seek operations on those objects.
    - Complex data types
      These topics explain how to use collection and row data types in the Informix® ESQL/C program.
      - Access a collection
      - Access row types
        Declare row variables
        Manage memory for rows
        Operate on a row variable
        The SELECT, and UPDATE statements allow you to access a row-type column as a whole.
        The collection-derived table clause on row types
        The collection-derived table clause allows you to create a collection-derived table from a row-type column.
        Initialize a row variable
        To perform operations on existing fields in a row-type column, you must first initialize the row variable with the field values.
        Insert into a row variable
        Select from a row variable
        The SELECT statement and the collection-derived table clause allow you to select a particular field or group of fields in the row variable.
        Update a row variable
        The UPDATE statement and the collection-derived table clause allow you to update a particular field or group of fields in the row variable.
        Delete from a row variable
        Specify field names
        Specify field values
        Literal values as field values
        You can use a literal value to specify a field value for a row variable. The literal values must have a data type that is compatible with the field type.
        Constructed rows
        You can use a constructed row to specify an expression as a field value for a row variable. The constructed expression must use a row constructor and evaluate to a data type that is compatible with the field type of the field.
        ESQL/C host variables as field values
        You can use the Informix® ESQL/C host variable to specify a field value for a row variable.
        Access a typed table
        You can use a row variable to access the columns of a typed table. A typed table is a table that was created with the OF TYPE clause of the CREATE TABLE statement. This table obtains the information for its columns from a named row type.
        Operate on a row-type column
    - Opaque data types
      These topics explain how to use the lvarchar, fixed binary, and var binary data types to access an opaque data type from the Informix® ESQL/C program. Use these Informix ESQL/C data types to represent an opaque data type as it is transferred to and from Informix.
  - Database server communication
  - Dynamic SQL
  - Appendixes
    This section contains additional reference information.
- GLS User's Guide
  The Informix® GLS User's Guide describes the Global Language Support (GLS) feature available in Informix products.
- API
  The Informix® GLS API Programmer's Guide describes the global language support (GLS) application programming interface (API) available in Informix ESQL/C and HCL Informix DataBlade® modules.
- Informix® Object Interface for C++ Guide
  The Informix® Object Interface for C++ Programmer's Guide describes how to develop HCL Informix client applications by using the object-oriented C++ programming language.
- Informix® ODBC Driver Guide
  The Informix® ODBC Driver Programmer's Manual serves as a user guide and reference for Informix ODBC Driver, which is the Informix implementation of the Microsoft™ Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) interface, Version 3.0.
- .NET provider options
  The Data Server Provider for .NET DB2® provider option is the preferred Informix® provider for developing new applications.
- Informix® JDBC Driver Guide
  The Informix® JDBC Driver Programmer's Guide describes how to install, load, and use Informix JDBC Driver to connect to the Informix database from within a Java™ application or applet.
- Informix International Language Supplement (ILS) User Guide
  These topics include information about the translated user interface files for Informix® UNIX™ products, locales, and code set conversion tables
- Informix® OLE DB Provider Guide
  The Informix® OLE DB Provider Programmer's Guide describes the software requirements for using Informix OLE DB Provider, show how to install and configure the provider for your use, and explain how to use Informix OLE DB Provider to enable client applications, such as ActiveX Data Object (ADO) applications and web pages, to access data on the Informix server.

Specify field values

You can specify any of the following values for fields in a row variable:

A literal value
You can also specify literal values directly for a row-type column without first using a row variable.
A constructed row
You cannot include complex expressions directly to specify field values. However, a constructed row provides support for expressions as field values.
An Informix® ESQL/C host variable