DataBlade Module Programming Languages

The DataBlade Developers Kit supports the following languages for programming DataBlade modules:

For more information on programming language options and restrictions, see the IBM Informix: DataBlade Developer's Kit User's Guide.

C Language

The DataBlade Developers Kit enables you to create database objects in C. You can create user-defined routines, cast support functions, aggregates, and opaque data type support routines in C.

The code generated for C by the DataBlade Developers Kit uses DataBlade API routines to communicate with the database server. The DataBlade API is the primary API for the database server. The DataBlade API provides routines to manage database connections, send SQL command strings, process query results, manage database server events and errors, create database server routines, manage database server memory, and so on. The DataBlade API provides a subset of IBM Informix ESQL/C and IBM Informix GLS routines that you can use in your DataBlade module code. For more information about the DataBlade API, see the IBM Informix: DataBlade API Programmer's Guide.

C++ Language

The DataBlade Developers Kit currently allows you to write opaque data type support routines in C++. You can also create ActiveX value objects to represent opaque data types on a client computer. If you want to include other database objects in your DataBlade module, the DataBlade Developers Kit allows you to code them in C or Java.

The C++ support routines use DataBlade API routines to process opaque data types in the database server. For more information about the DataBlade API, see the IBM Informix: DataBlade API Programmer's Guide.

It is recommended that developers create DataBlade modules in C++ only for client projects and for server projects that use Dynamic Server on Windows only. Check the IBM Informix Developer Zone at www.ibm.com/software/data/developer/informix for the latest recommendations on C++ programming options.

Java Language

The DataBlade Developers Kit enables you to create database objects in Java. You can create user-defined routines, cast support functions, aggregates, and opaque data type support routines in Java. You can also create Java value objects to represent opaque data types on a client computer. You cannot create Java routines that take row or collection data types.

The code generated for Java by the DataBlade Developers Kit uses IBM Informix JDBC Driver methods to communicate with the database server. IBM Informix JDBC Driver supports the JDBC 2.0 API. You can use the JDBC 2.0 API to create database applications in Java.

For more information on IBM Informix JDBC Driver, see the IBM Informix: JDBC Driver Programmer's Guide.

For a complete discussion of creating user-defined routines in Java, see the manual IBM Informix: J/Foundation Developer's Guide.

You must use the IBM Informix Dynamic Server with J/Foundation upgrade to IBM Informix Dynamic Server to enable services that use Java. For more information about J/Foundation, see the manual IBM Informix: J/Foundation Developer's Guide.

Informix Stored Procedure Language

You can use Informix Stored Procedure Language (SPL) statements to write routines, and you can store these SPL routines in the database. SPL is an extension to SQL that provides flow control, such as looping and branching. SPL routines can execute routines written in C or other external languages, and external routines can execute SPL routines.

You can use SPL routines to perform any task that you can perform in SQL and to expand what you can accomplish with SQL alone. SPL routines are parsed and optimized when they are created. The DataBlade Developers Kit enables you to include SPL statements to create routines. For more information on SPL, see the IBM Informix: Guide to SQL Tutorial.