The server locale

The server locale, which is set with the SERVER_LOCALE environment variable, specifies the language, territory, and code set that the database server uses to perform read and write (I/O) operations on the server computer (the computer on which the database server runs).

These I/O operations include reading or writing the following files:
  • Diagnostic files that the database server generates to provide additional diagnostic information
  • Log files that the database server generates to record events
  • The explain output file that the SQL statement SET EXPLAIN generates

The database server does not use the server locale, however, to write files that are in the HCL Informix® proprietary format (database and table files). For a more detailed description of the files that the database server writes by using the server locale, see Database server features.

The database server looks for product-specific message files in the message directory that is associated with the locale specified in SERVER_LOCALE. For more information, see Locate message files.

In the example connection that The client locale, database locale, and server locale shows, the HCL Informix® database server uses the locale specified in SERVER_LOCALE to determine the code set to use when it writes a message-log file. For the syntax to set the server locale, see SERVER_LOCALE environment variable.
Tip: The database server is the only HCL Informix® product that needs to know the server locale. Any database server utilities that you run on the server computer use the client locale to read from and write to files and the database locale (on the server computer) to access databases that are set on the server computer.

The server locale and the server-processing locale are two different locales. For more information about the server-processing locale, see Determine the server-processing locale.