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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.
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.
Rows and collections
Rows and collections are composite values that consist of one or more elements.
Allocating and binding a row or collection buffer
When you retrieve a row or collection, the database server puts the row or collection into a buffer that is local to your Informix® ODBC Driver application.
SQL data
The database server calls cast functions to convert the data from the source HCL Informix® SQL data types to the target Informix SQL data types.

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.
- 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.
  - Overview of HCL Informix® ODBC Driver
    These topics introduce the Informix® ODBC Driver and describe its advantages and architecture. The topics also describe conformance, isolation and lock levels, libraries, and environment variables.
  - Configure data sources
    These topics explain how to configure a data source (DSN) on UNIX™ and Windows™ for Informix® ODBC Driver.
  - Data types
    These topics contain information about the data types that are supported by Informix® ODBC Driver.
  - Smart large objects
    These topics describe how to store, create, and access a smart large object; how to transfer smart-large-object data; how to retrieve the status of a smart large object; and how to read or write a smart large object to or from a file.
  - Rows and collections
    Rows and collections are composite values that consist of one or more elements.
    - Allocating and binding a row or collection buffer
      When you retrieve a row or collection, the database server puts the row or collection into a buffer that is local to your Informix® ODBC Driver application.
      - Fixed-type buffers and unfixed-type buffers
        There are several differences between fixed-type buffers and unfixed-type buffers.
      - Buffers and memory allocation
        When you retrieve data into a buffer that already contains a row or collection, Informix® ODBC Driver does not reuse the same buffer.
      - SQL data
        The database server calls cast functions to convert the data from the source HCL Informix® SQL data types to the target Informix SQL data types.
      - Performing a local fetch
        Informix® ODBC Driver performs a local fetch when you retrieve a row or collection from one location on the client computer to another location on the client computer.
      - Example of retrieving row and collection data from the database
        The sample program, rcselect.c, retrieves row and collection data from the database and displays it.
    - Example of creating a row and a list on the client
      The code example, rccreate.c, creates a row and a list on the client, adds items to them, and inserts them into the database.
    - Modify a row or collection
      Informix® ODBC Driver provides functions that can be used to modify rows and collections.
    - Retrieve information about a row or collection
      Informix® ODBC Driver provides functions that can be used to retrieve information about rows and collections.
  - Client functions
    These topics describe the Informix® ODBC Driver client functions. Use these functions to access and manipulate smart large objects and rows and collections.
  - Application tracking in ODBC
    Set the CLIENT_LABEL environment variable in CSDK 4.50.xC4 onwards to assign a character string to ODBC client session and identify that character string on the database server. You can use this variable to distinguish one database session from the other.
  - Improve application performance
    These topics suggest ways to improve performance of Informix® ODBC Driver applications.
  - Error messages
    These topics describe the Informix® ODBC Driver error messages.
  - Unicode
    These topics provide a brief overview of the Unicode standard and shows how it is used within ODBC applications.
  - ODBC Smart trigger
- .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.

SQL data

The database server calls cast functions to convert the data from the source HCL Informix® SQL data types to the target Informix® SQL data types.

If the data types for a row or collection that are on a database server differ from the data types for a row or collection buffer into which the data is retrieved, the database server calls cast functions to convert the data from the source HCL Informix® SQL data types to the target Informix® SQL data types. The following table lists the provider of the cast functions for each combination of source data type and target data type. Cast functions that a data type provides are located on the database server.


Source data type	Target data type	Provider of cast functions
Built-in	Built-in	Database server
Built-in	Extended	Data type
Extended	Built-in	Data type
Extended	Extended	Data type