Processing special data types

 

Most data types, such as INTEGER and CHARACTER, do not have any special processing characteristics. However, a few data types require special functions or locators to use them effectively.

• Large objects
  A large object (LOB) is a string data type with a size ranging from 0 bytes to 2 GB (GB equals 1 073 741 824 bytes).

• User-defined distinct types
  A user-defined distinct type (UDT) is a mechanism to extend DB2^® capabilities beyond the built-in data types that are available.

• Examples: Using UDTs, UDFs, and LOBs
  These examples show how to use user-defined types (UDTs), user-defined functions (UDFs), and large objects (LOBs) together in complex applications.

• Using DataLinks
  The DataLink data type is one of the basic building blocks for extending the types of data that can be stored in database files. The idea of a DataLink is that the actual data stored in the column is only a pointer to the object.

 

Parent topic:

SQL programming