Extending Built-In Data Types

Built-in data types are provided by the database server. The database server already has functions for retrieving, storing, manipulating, and sorting built-in data types.

You can extend built-in data types in the following ways:

• Creating complex data types based on built-in data types
• Creating UDTs (distinct and opaque data types)
• Extending the operations that are allowed for both built-in data types and extended data types

Extending Data Types, describes the data type system that the database uses and documents how to extend the database server by building UDTs that are based on built-in data types. The IBM Informix: Database Design and Implementation Guide also discusses UDTs that are based on built-in data types.