Binary Types

Binary Types

Large and unstructured data such as text, images, video, and spatial data can be stored as binary data. Altibase supports the following binary types:

• BYTE
• VARBYTE
• NIBBLE
• BIT
• VARBIT

BYTE

Syntax Diagram

variable_clause::=

in_row_clause::=

Syntax

BYTE [(size)] [[FIXED |] VARIABLE ( IN ROW size ) ]

Description

The BYTE is a binary data type containing a specified length. The right space of inserted data is filled with '0' if a character string with a shorter length, which is shorter than the specified the length, is inserted.

The default size of a BYTE column is 1 byte. The maximum length of a BYTE column is 32000 bytes. The data can be expressed in hexadecimal format using a combination of alphabet and numeric characters, such as '0FAE13.' The allowable alphanumeric characters are 0 (zero) to 9 and A to F.

The specified size should be adjusted when executing data retrieval or entering the BYTE column. Two characters can be inserted in a byte; for example, if BYTE(3) is defined, values ranging from '000000' to 'FFFFFF' can be inserted.

In the case of inserting the lower case letters from 'a' from 'f', they are stored as being converted.

For more detailed information about the FIXED and VARIABLE clauses, please refer to the "FIXED/VARIABLE OPTIONS" and "IN ROW clauses" sections above.

Example

iSQL> CREATE TABLE T1 (I1 BYTE(1), I2 BYTE(5));
Create success.
iSQL> INSERT INTO T1 VALUES (BYTE'11', BYTE'0011');
1 row inserted.
iSQL> SELECT TO_CHAR(I1), TO_CHAR(I2) FROM T1;
TO_CHAR(I1)  TO_CHAR(I2)  
-----------------------------
11  0011000000  
1 row selected.

VARBYTE

Syntax Diagram

variable_clause::=

in_row_clause::=

Syntax

VARBYTE [(size)] [[FIXED |] VARIABLE ( IN ROW size ) ]

Description

This is a binary data type containing a variable length. The default size of a VARBYTE column is one byte, and its maximum size is 32000 bytes.

The data can be expressed through a hexadecimal format with combination of alphabets and numbers such as '0FAE13'. The allocable alphabet and numeric characters range from 0 to 9 and A to F. The specified size should be adjusted when executing data retrieval or entering the BYTE column.

Two characters can be inserted in a byte; for example, if BYTE(3) is defined, values ranging from '000000' to 'FFFFFF' can be inserted. In the case of inserting the lower case letters from 'a' from 'f', they are stored as being converted.

For more detailed information about the FIXED and VARIABLE clauses, please refer to the "FIXED/VARIABLE OPTIONS" and "IN ROW clauses" sections above.

Example

iSQL> CREATE TABLE T1 (I1 VARBYTE(1), I2 VARBYTE(5) );
Create success.
iSQL> INSERT INTO T1 VALUES (VARBYTE'11', VARBYTE'0011');
1 row inserted.
iSQL> SELECT TO_CHAR(I1), TO_CHAR(I2) FROM T1;
TO_CHAR(I1)  TO_CHAR(I2)  
-----------------------------
11  0011        
1 row selected.

NIBBLE

Syntax Diagram

variable_clause::=

in_row_clause::=

Syntax

NIBBLE [(size)] [[FIXED |] VARIABLE ( IN ROW size ) ]

Description

NIBBLE column is that of a single character, and the maximum size is 254nibbles.

The data can be expressed in hexadecimal format using a combination of alphabet and numeric characters. The allowable alphanumeric characters are 0 (zero) to 9 and A to F. Unlike the BYTE type, only one character can be entered into one nibble.

For example, for NIBBLE (6), '000000' to 'FFFFFF' can be inserted.

When the lower case letters 'a' through 'f' are input, they are converted into upper-case letters.

For more detailed information about the FIXED and VARIABLE clauses, please refer to the "FIXED/VARIABLE OPTIONS" and "IN ROW clauses" sections above.

BIT

Syntax Diagram

variable_clause::=

in_row_clause::=

Syntax

BIT [(size)] [[FIXED |] VARIABLE ( IN ROW size ) ]

Description

This is a binary data type that has a fixed length and consists only of 0's and 1's.

The default size of a BIT column is one bit. Its maximum size is 64000 bits.

If an attempt is made to input a string that is longer than the specified length, an 'Invalid data type length' error will be raised. If a string shorter than the specified length is input, the space to the right of the input data is populated with 0's. If a value other than 0 or 1 is input, an 'Invalid literal' error is raised.

For more detailed information about the FIXED and VARIABLE clauses, please refer to the "FIXED/VARIABLE OPTIONS" and "IN ROW clauses" sections above.

Example

iSQL> CREATE TABLE T1 ( I1 BIT(1), I2 BIT(5) );
Create success.
iSQL> INSERT INTO T1 VALUES ( BIT'1', BIT'011' );
1 row inserted.
iSQL> SELECT TO_CHAR(I1), TO_CHAR(I2) FROM T1;
TO_CHAR(I1)  TO_CHAR(I2)
-----------------------------
1  01100
1 row selected.
iSQL> INSERT INTO T1 VALUES ( BIT'1111', BIT'011' );
[ERR-2100D : Invalid data type length]
iSQL> INSERT INTO T1 VALUES ( BIT'1', BIT'1234' );
[ERR-21011 : Invalid literal]

VARBIT

Syntax Diagram

variable_clause::=

in_row_clause::=

Syntax

VARBIT [(size)] [[FIXED |] VARIABLE ( IN ROW size ) ]

Description

This is a binary data type that has a variable length and consists only of 0's and 1's.

The default size of a BIT column is one bit. Its maximum size is 64000 bits. If an attempt is made to input a string that is longer than the specified length, an "Invalid data type length" error will be raised.

For more detailed information about the FIXED and VARIABLE clauses, please refer to the "FIXED/VARIABLE OPTIONS" and "IN ROW clauses" sections above.

Example

iSQL> CREATE TABLE T1 ( I1 VARBIT(1), I2 VARBIT(5) );
Create success.
iSQL> INSERT INTO T1 VALUES ( VARBIT'1', VARBIT'011' );
1 row inserted.
iSQL> SELECT TO_CHAR(I1), TO_CHAR(I2) FROM T1;
TO_CHAR(I1)  TO_CHAR(I2)
-----------------------------
1  011
1 row selected.
iSQL> INSERT INTO T1 VALUES ( VARBIT'1111', VARBIT'011' );
[ERR-2100D : Invalid data type length]
iSQL> INSERT INTO T1 VALUES ( VARBIT'1', VARBIT'1234' );
[ERR-21011 : Invalid literal]