Loading Smart Large Objects

The database server loads smart large objects (BLOB and CLOB columns) from a separate operating-system file on the client computer. For information on the structure of this file, see Unloading Smart Large Objects.

In a LOAD FROM file, a CLOB or BLOB column value appears as follows: 
start_off,length,client_path

In this format, start_off is the starting offset (in hexadecimal) of the smart-large-object value within the client file, length is the length (in hexadecimal) of the BLOB or CLOB value, and client_path is the pathname for the client file. No blank spaces can appear between these values.

For example, to load a CLOB value that is 512 bytes long and is at offset 256 in the /usr/apps/clob9ce7.318 file, the database server expects the CLOB value to appear as follows in the LOAD FROM file: 
|100,200,/usr/apps/clob9ce7.318|
If the whole client file is to be loaded, a CLOB or BLOB column value appears as follows in the LOAD FROM file: 
client_path
For example, to load a CLOB value that occupies the entire file /usr/apps/clob9ce7.318, the database server expects the CLOB value to appear as follows in the LOAD FROM file: 
|/usr/apps/clob9ce7.318|

In DB-Access, the USING clause is valid within files executed from DB-Access. In interactive mode, DB-Access prompts you for a password, so the USING keyword and validation_var are not used.

For CLOB columns, the database server handles any required code-set conversions for the data. See also the HCL OneDB™ GLS User's Guide.