DataBlade Module Development Overview Introduction

This manual is an overview of the DataBlade module development process. A DataBlade module extends the functionality of Informix Dynamic Server 2000 to handle data with user-defined routines or to handle nontraditional kinds of data, such as full text, images, video, spatial data, and time series.

This section discusses the organization of the manual, the intended audience, and the associated software products you must have to develop and use a DataBlade module.

This manual begins with a conceptual overview of DataBlade modules and then provides a procedural overview of the development of a DataBlade module. Two appendixes describe current DataBlade module documentation and DataBlade modules available from Informix.

This manual provides a basic orientation for DataBlade module development. See Appendix A, DataBlade Module Documentation, for a reference guide to current Informix documentation on DataBlade modules and related topics.

This manual includes the following chapters:

• Chapter 1, DataBlade Module Concepts, introduces DataBlade modules. It includes the definition of a DataBlade module, an overview of how DataBlade modules fit into Dynamic Server architecture, descriptions of DataBlade module components, and DataBlade module programming language options.
• Chapter 2, Building a DataBlade Module, provides a description of the DataBlade Developers Kit tools, a list of DataBlade module development tasks, and a description of programming resources and examples.
• Appendix A, DataBlade Module Documentation, is a reference guide to current Informix documentation on DataBlade modules. The appendix is divided into three sections:
• An overview of the documentation set, arranged by concept
• A descriptive catalog of the documents, arranged alphabetically by title
• An alphabetical list of topics concerning DataBlade modules, with references to the document or documents that contain detailed information about each topic
• Appendix B, Informix DataBlade Modules, introduces several Informix DataBlade modules and describes how they extend Dynamic Server.

This manual also includes a glossary of DataBlade module development terms and an index.

This guide is an overview for anyone interested in learning about DataBlade modules, including managers, developers who plan to create DataBlade modules, and developers who plan to create applications that use DataBlade modules. However, you should be familiar with SQL and basic programming concepts.

In contrast, the DataBlade Developers Kit User's Guide provides technical information specifically for developers who are ready to develop DataBlade modules.

This manual describes Version 4.0 of the DataBlade Developers Kit and Version 9.2 of Informix Dynamic Server 2000.

See the Read Me First sheet for the DataBlade Developers Kit for complete system requirements for DBDK.

This manual uses the following conventions to introduce new terms, illustrate screen displays, describe command syntax, and so forth.

Convention	Meaning
KEYWORD	All primary elements in a programming language statement (keywords) appear in uppercase letters in a serif font.
italics italics italics	Within text, new terms and emphasized words appear in italics. Within syntax and code examples, variable values that you are to specify appear in italics.
boldface boldface	Names of program entities (such as classes, events, and tables), environment variables, file and pathnames, and interface elements (such as icons, menu items, and buttons) appear in boldface.
monospace monospace	Information that the product displays and information that you enter appear in a monospace typeface.
	This symbol indicates the end of product- or platform-specific information.
	This symbol indicates a menu item. For example, "Choose Tools Options" means choose the Options item from the Tools menu.

Tip: When you are instructed to "enter" characters or to "execute" a command, immediately press RETURN after the entry. When you are instructed to "type" the text or to "press" other keys, no RETURN is required.