integer
SMALLINT, INTEGER, INT8, SERIAL, SERIAL8
floating-point number
SMALLFLOAT, FLOAT
character string:
fixed
varying
CHAR, NCHAR
VARCHAR, NVARCHAR
date and time (including interval)
DATE, DATETIME, INTERVAL
numeric and decimal
DECIMAL, MONEY
For these data types, Universal Server automatically provides the following locale-related tasks:
The LVARCHAR data type supports SQL length functions similar to the VARCHAR data type. For more information, see "Using SQL Length Functions".
For more information on the LVARCHAR data type, see Chapter 3 of the Informix Guide to SQL: Reference.
Smart Large Objects A smart large object can store text or images. Smart large objects are stored and retrieved in pieces and have database properties such as crash recovery and transaction rollback. Universal Server supports the following two smart- large-object data types:
Input and Output Support Functions The internal representation of an opaque data type is the C structure in which it is stored. Each opaque type also has a character-based format, known as its external representation. This external representation is stored in an internal data type called LVARCHAR. The LVARCHAR data type can store single-byte (ASCII and non-ASCII) and multibyte character data. Data of an opaque data type can be transferred to and from the database server in this external representation. Therefore, an opaque data type can hold single-byte or multibyte data. However, the ability to transfer the data between a client application and database server is not sufficient to support locale-sensitive data. It does not ensure that the data is correctly manipulated at its destination. The input and output support functions convert the opaque data type from its internal to an external representation, and vice versa. The input function converts the external representation of the data type to the internal representation. The output function converts the internal representation of the data type to the external representation. These functions should correctly handle any locale-sensitive data. In addition, they should perform any code-set conversion that might be required. Send and Receive Support Functions The send and receive functions support binary transfer of opaque data types.That is, they convert the opaque data type from its internal representation on the client computer to its internal representation on the server computer (where it is stored), as follows:
Distinct Data Types A distinct data type has the same internal storage representation as its source type but has a different name. Its source type can be an existing opaque data type, built-in data type, named row type, or another distinct data type. Universal Server handles GLS considerations for a distinct type as it would the source type.
