IBM® Informix® 12.10

Formats

A format describes the structure of the data in a data file.

Before you can import records from a data file into an IBM® Informix® database or export records from a database to a data file, you must define a format that describes the data file. You do not need to define a format for the database because ipload already knows the schema (the organization) of the database table.

These topics use the term format in two ways:

To refer to the arrangement of data fields in a record of a data file
To refer to the HPL component that documents the arrangement of the data fields

After you familiarize yourself with the concepts in this section, you might save yourself some work by using one of the Generate options to create formats automatically.

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To find the PDF, see Publications for the IBM Informix 12.10 family of products.
For the release notes, documentation notes, and/or machine notes, see the Release Notes page.

Release date: March 2013