These documentation notes contain additional information not found in the documentation notes that are included with the product.
© Copyright IBM Corp. 2008
These notes describes features and changes not covered in Quick Beginnings for IBM Informix Dynamic Server Express Edition or modified since publication.
The Creating a Response File for Silent Installation topic omits information about the -reginstance option. Use -reginstance as an argument with the setup.exe command to create Windows services for the Dynamic Server installation without automatic initialization/start-up of the services. This option still lets you customize server configuration details. Typically, you would use this option when you want to configure Dynamic Server and then start it after changing its configuration file.
A -disable-checks option has been added to the Dynamic Server Express installation command for Linux. This option lets the install application run without verifying that your computer has the prerequisites for a working instance. The database server prerequisites are listed in Platform.prq on an operating system basis. Use the -disable-checks option to bypass the shared-library prerequisites check.
To use a java command to start the Dynamic Server installation, disable the shared-libraries check by using the -W systemcheck.active=false option in your command.
Refer to the Machine Notes for comprehensive operating system information.
These notes describes features and changes not covered in the IBM Informix Dynamic Server Administrator's Guide or modified since publication.
In the section, Disk, Memory and Process Management > Data Storage, the "Table Types for Dynamic Server" table states that raw tables do not support indexes. This is incorrect. Raw tables support indexes.
Transient unnamed complex data types (ROW, SET, LIST, and MULTISET) can now be used on high-availability cluster secondary servers, when the secondary servers are read-only.
The following types of operations that use transient types are supported on secondary servers:
These notes describes features and changes not covered in the IBM Informix Dynamic Server Administrator's Reference or modified since publication.
The CHECKALLDOMAINSFORUSER configuration parameter enables you to check all domains for all users.
The following information about the location of sort overflow files should be added to the Using Hash Join Overflow and DBSPACETEMP topic:
The following environment variables and ONCONFIG configuration parameter can be used to specify the location of the sort overflow files:
If more than one variable or parameter is specified, the priority by which Dynamic Server determines the location of the sort overflow files is:
If the environment variables or configuration parameter are not set, the sort overflow files are placed in the $INFORMIXDIR/tmp directory and the temporary tables are placed in the rootdbspace.
In the Administrator's Reference, the Individual Virtual Processor onstat -g glo output does not include the Thread and Eff columns.The corrected output is:
Thread = Total number of threads
EFF = Efficiency of the virtual processor
IBM Informix Dynamic Server Version 11.10.UC1
MT global info:
sessions threads vps lngspins
0 28 11 0
sched calls thread switches yield 0 yield n yield forever
total: 19577737 16256991 3688561 11340793 280099
per sec: 0 0 0 0 0
Virtual processor summary:
class vps usercpu syscpu total
cpu 1 107.40 8.09 115.49
aio 6 4.19 94.42 98.61
lio 1 0.68 3.54 4.22
pio 1 0.03 0.33 0.36
adm 1 0.00 0.05 0.05
msc 1 0.00 0.01 0.01
total 11 112.30 106.44 218.74
Individual virtual processors:
vp pid class usercpu syscpu total Thread Eff
1 5738 cpu 107.40 8.09 115.49 246.14 46%
2 5739 adm 0.00 0.0 0.05 0.00 0%
3 5740 lio 0.68 3.54 4.22 36.44 11%
4 5741 pio 0.03 0.33 0.36 7.50 4%
5 5742 aio 2.03 51.92 53.95 358.09 15%
In the Database Server Files topic, the INFORMIXTMP file is incorrectly identified as existing in either the /tmp or the \tmp directory.
The INFORMIXTMP file actually exists in either the /INFORMIXTMP or the \%INFORMIXDIR% directory.
The SHMNOACCESS configuration parameter specifies a virtual memory address range to not use to attach shared memory. SHMNOACCESS is used to avoid specific range process addresses, which in turn avoids conflicts with operating system libraries.
Each address in each range must start in hex format, each address in a range must be separated by a hyphen, and each range must be separated by a comma, as the following example shows:
SHMNOACCESS 0x70000000-0x75000000, 0x7A000000-0x80000000
In the Administrator's Reference v. 11.10.xC2, the syntax diagram for oncheck -pp is incorrect on the following points:
The following syntax example correctly revises the frag_dbs and frag_part errors:
Syntax:
>>-oncheck------------------------------------------------------>
>--+- -pp--+-database--:--+--------+--table--+--------------+--rowid-+-+-><
| | '-owner.-' +-,--frag_dbs--+ | |
| | '-%--frag_part-' | |
| '-tblspacenum--logical pagenum----------------------------' |
'- -pP--chunknum--logical pagenum-----------------------------------'
In addition, the definition of frag_part is revised to be: Specifies the partition name of the fragment to be checked. Specifying the partition name of the fragment is very useful when more than one fragment of a table is created in the same dbspace.
Besides the contexts listed in the Chapter 1 description of the SBSPACENAME configuration parameter, the default sbspace that the SBSPACENAME setting specifies is used by the built-in encryption and decryption functions to store BLOB or CLOB values. If DECRYPT_BINARY or an encryption function cannot find an sbspace in which to store a BLOB or CLOB argument or returned value, the function fails with the following error message:
Fatal error in server row processing - SQL error -9810 ISAM error -12053
If you see this error message after you invoke an encryption or decryption function that has a CLOB or BLOB argument, configure a default sbspace using the SBSPACENAME configuration parameter, and then repeat the function call.
Beginning with IDS version 11.10.xc1, you can no longer use a text editor to change the physical-log size or location.
This change negates the first paragraph of the Using a Text Editor to Change the Physical-Log Size or Location topic. The second paragraph of this topic is still valid: Use ALTER PLOG as the Administrative API command string for onparams -p.
The PC_POOLSIZE, DS_POOLSIZE, and DS_HASHSIZE configuration parameters now have the following values:
As of version 11.10.xC2, the following onmode utility options no longer have equivalent SQL Admin API command strings:
For complete information about the SQL Admin API, see the Guide to SQL: Syntax.
These notes describes features and changes not covered in the IBM Informix Backup and Restore Guide or modified since publication.
Information about the onsmsync -b utility option is incorrect. The correct information about the element is:
| Purpose | Key Considerations |
|---|---|
| Regenerates both the emergency boot file (ixbar.servernum) and the sysutils database from each other. | If the ixbar file is empty or does not exist, onsmsync -b recreates the ixbar file and populates it from the syutils tables. If the ixbar is not empty and contains object data, onsmsync -b updates the sysutils database and the ixbar file so that they are in sync. |
If the ixbar file has entries and the sysutils database has been rebuilt, but is empty because it does not contain data, onsmsync -b recreates the sysutils data from the ixbar file. The -b element is not used with the other onsmsync options. Additionally, it does not synchronize with the storage manager.
To create a continuous logical-log file backup to a directory follow these steps:
Procedure:
This information corrects erroneous information in the Starting a Continuous Logical-Log File Backup topic.
These notes describes features and changes not covered in the IBM Informix Database Design and Implementation Guide or modified since publication.
There are no known notes or corrections at this time.
These notes describes features and changes not covered in IBM Informix Database Extensions User's Guide (formerly the Built-in DataBlade Module User's Guide) or modified since publication.
The Degree of Similarity information and example in the Basic Text Search Query Term Modifiers topic is erroneous and should be ignored. The Basic Text Search DataBlade does not have a Degree of Similarity feature.
This error exists only in the .pdf version of the IBM Informix Database Extensions User's Guide. The error does not exist in the Information Center topic.
The Node DataBlade Module, Version 1.0 was released as an unsupported DataBlade module on IBM DeveloperWorks in 2001. Version 2.0 has the following enhancements:
Direct upgrades from Version 1.0 to Version 2.0 are not supported because unpredictable results can occur if you've customized Version 1.0. Use caution if you customized Version 1.0 to allow for a node length greater than 256 characters because data truncation might occur. You can use the CHAR_LENGTH() function to determine the maximum size of your node data.
To upgrade from Version 1.0 to Version 2.0, follow these steps:
In the section "Creating the mq Virtual Processor Class" in the "About the MQ DataBlade Module" chapter, the onmode command to create an mq virtual processor is incorrect. The correct command is:
onmode -p +1 mq
The syntax for executing the WFSRegister() routine is incorrect. The correct syntax is:
execute function WFSRegister(tableName)
WFSRegister() requires the function keyword instead of the procedure keyword.
These notes describes features or changes not covered in the IBM Informix DB-Access User's Guide or modified since publication.
There are no known notes or corrections at this time.
These notes describes features and changes not covered in the IBM Informix DataBlade API Programmer's Guide or the IBM Informix DataBlade API Function Reference or modified since publication.
There are no known notes or corrections at this time.
These notes describes messages not covered in the finderr text or modified since the last finderr update. It contains vital information about new or modified error messages.
A -1268 error can occur when attempting to use an opaque type derived from an arithmetic expression that requires a float data type. The -1268 error message refers to "Invalid datetime or interval qualifier," which is misleading.
The description should say that when using an opaque type when a float data type is expected, use an explicit cast to change the data value to a float. For example, exp(X:float).
If the security check a server utility performs at startup detects a problem, it returns an error message. These messages are returned when the message file and internationalization support are not available; therefore, they do not have error numbers and are not translated.
For the following problems, one of the following messages displays and the utility continues:
For the following problems, the utility exits and displays one of the following messages:
This table defines the variables used in the messages above.
| filename | a name of the file or directory |
| logical-file | either ONCONFIG, INFORMIXSQLHOSTS, INFORMIXDIR, or INFORMIXDIR/xxx (where xxx is one of a number of sub-directories under $INFORMIXDIR). For example, if INFORMIXDIR is set to /usr/informix, the message might read: INFORMIXSQLHOSTS /usr/informix/etc/sqlhosts is not owned by the user with id 1234. |
| mode | an octal permissions value |
| UID | a number |
| GID | a number |
These notes describes features and changes not covered in the IBM Informix Getting Started Guide or modified since publication.
There are no notes or corrections at this time.
These notes describes features and changes not covered in the IBM Informix GLS User's Guide or modified since publication.
There are no known notes or corrections at this time.
These notes describes features and changes not covered in the IBM Informix Guide to SQL: Reference or modified since publication.
The description of the SYSUSERS catalog table omits the code and explanation for the U in the usertype column. U is for default role. The user has no access to the database (or no database privileges). This is the role the user has before being granted a C, D, or R role.
The nrows and npused columns in systables do not use the integer data type, as documented. These columns use the float data type.
The clust column of the sysindexes and sysindices tables indicates the degree of clustering for indexes. You might achieve better clustering by making more buffers available. To make more buffers available, increase the buffers field of the BUFFERPOOL onconfig parameter, decreasing the value of the DS_MAX_QUERIES onconfig parameter, or both.
These notes describes features and changes not covered in the IBM Informix Guide to SQL: Syntax or modified since publication.
Use the MODIFY EXTENT SIZE clause with the ALTER TABLE statement to change the size of the first extent of a table in a dbspace.
You cannot use the MODIFY EXTENT SIZE clause to change the size of the first extent:
MODIFY EXTENT SIZE Clause: |--MODIFY EXTENT SIZE--kilobytes--------------------------------|
| Element | Description | Restrictions |
|---|---|---|
| kilobytes | Length (in kilobytes) assigned here to the first extent for this table | Specification cannot be a variable, and (4(page size)) <= kilobytes <= (chunk size) |
The minimum extent size is 4 times the disk-page size. For example, on a system with 2-kilobyte pages, the minimum length is 8 kilobytes. The maximum length is the chunk size.
The following example specifies an extent size of 32 kilobytes:
ALTER TABLE customer MODIFY EXTENT SIZE 32;
When you change the size of the first extent, the database server records the change in the system catalog and on the partition page, but only makes the actual change when the table is rebuilt or a new partition or fragment is created.
For example, if a table has a first extent size of 8 kilobytes and you use the ALTER TABLE statement to change this to 16 kilobytes, the server does not drop the current first extent and recreate it with the new size. Instead, the new first extent size of 16 kilobytes takes effect only when the server rebuilds the table after actions such as creating a cluster index on the table or detaching a fragment from the table.
If a TRUNCATE TABLE statement without the REUSE option is executed before the ALTER TABLE statement with the MODIFY EXTENT SIZE clause, there is no change in the size of the current first extent.
If an existing table in a dbspace has data in it, the first and next extents are already allocated for the table and you will not be able to change the size of the first or next extent. If you want to change the size of existing extents, you must drop the table, recreate it with a storage clause indicating the desired size, and load the data again.
You can change the size of the first and next extent at the same time. The following example specifies changing the size of the first and next extent:
ALTER TABLE customer MODIFY EXTENT SIZE 32 NEXT SIZE 32
The first and next extent sizes are recorded in the PNSIZES logical log record.
A query on a view does not use literal values in the WHERE clause that specify a condition that is always FALSE for the base table of the view. Instead, use that condition as a predicate in SELECT statements that query the view. Consider the following program fragment, which enables the SET EXPLAIN feature, creates and populates a table, defines a view on that table, and queries that view:
SET EXPLAIN ON;
CREATE TABLE test_table (f1 CHAR(10), f2 INT)
INSERT INTO test_table VALUES ('january',1);
INSERT INTO test_table VALUES ('february',2);
INSERT INTO test_table VALUES ('march',3);
INSERT INTO test_table VALUES ('april',4);
INSERT INTO test_table VALUES ('may',5);
INSERT INTO test_table VALUES ('june',6);
INSERT INTO test_table VALUES ('july',7);
INSERT INTO test_table VALUES ('august',8);
INSERT INTO test_table VALUES ('september',9);
INSERT INTO test_table VALUES ('october',10);
CREATE VIEW view test_vw (a1, a2) AS
SELECT(x1.f1, '') FROM test_table x1;
SELECT * FROM test_vw WHERE a2=2;
To run the query in the last line of the example above, Dynamic Server reads every record in the table test_table and checks the condition ''=2, which is false for every row in test_table. The following information is written to the sqexplain.out file:
select * from test_vw where a2=2
Estimated Cost: 2
Estimated # of Rows Returned: 10
1) informix.test_table: SEQUENTIAL SCAN
Filters: (FALSE)
Now consider the following query on the same view:
select * from test_vw where ''=2
To execute this query, no records are scanned. The WHERE condition is checked, and Dynamic Server immediately returns SQLSTATE = 100, "No rows found", and the following information is written to the sqexplain.out file:
select * from test_vw where ''=2
Estimated Cost: 0
Estimated # of Rows Returned: 1
1) informix.test_table: SEQUENTIAL SCAN
Filters: (FALSE)
The optimizer plan for the query that uses the view as its data source can differ from the optimizer plan in the view definition. In query execution plans that use a full sequential scan; literal values in views are not used to exclude certain optimizer-paths, as the program fragment above illustrates.
The DROP TABLE topic misspells the USETABLENAME parameter.
The corrected information about USETABLENAME is:
By default, BLOB or CLOB values processed by the built-in encryption or decryption functions are temporarily stored in the default sbspace that the SBSPACENAME onconfig parameter specifies. If DECRYPT_BINARY or an encryption function cannot find an sbspace to store its BLOB or CLOB argument or returned value, the function fails with the following error message:
Fatal error in server row processing - SQL error -9810 ISAM error -12053
If you see this error message after you invoke an encryption or decryption function that has a CLOB or BLOB argument, configure a default sbspace using the SBSPACENAME configuration parameter, and then repeat the function call.
The description of the IN clause of the CREATE TABLE statement describes incorrectly the uniqueness requirement for partition names. The assertion in this section that the name of a partition must be unique within a dbspace is incorrect. The name of a partition must be unique among all the partitions of a single fragmented table, regardless of which dbspace they are in.
These notes describes features and changes not covered in the IBM Informix Guide to SQL: Tutorial or modified since publication.
There are no known notes or corrections at this time.
These notes describes features and changes not covered in the IBM Informix J/Foundation Developer's Guide or modified since publication.
There are no notes or corrections at this time.
These notes describes features and changes not covered in the IBM Informix JDBC Driver Programmer's Guide or modified since publication.
There are no notes or corrections at this time.
These notes describes features and changes not covered in the IBM Informix Migration Guide or modified since publication.
These notes describes features and changes not covered in the IBM Informix Optical Subsystem Guide or modified since publication.
There are no notes or corrections at this time.
These notes describes features and changes not covered in the IBM Informix Dynamic Server Performance Guide or modified since publication.
When you create a table, you specify a first extent size based on the eventual estimated size of the table. If the table becomes larger or smaller than that estimate, you might want to change the size of the first extent to avoid either having too many extents or creating extents that are larger than necessary. You can now change the size of the first extent of a table in a dbspace. When you change the size of the first extent, Dynamic Server records the change (in the system catalog and on the partition page), but only makes the actual change when the table is rebuilt or a new partition or fragment is created.
For more information see information on the MODIFY EXTENT SIZE clause in the documentation notes for the Guide to SQL: Syntax.
In the Index Extent Sizes topic, the Estimating Extent Size of Attached Index section has the following corrections:
These notes describes features and changes not covered in the IBM Informix R-tree User's Guide or modified since publication.
There are no notes or corrections at this time.
These notes describes features and changes not covered in the IBM Informix Security Guide or modified since publication.
The PLCY_POOLSIZE configuration parameter now has the following values:
For Windows x86 32-bit and 64-bit systems, the pam_ldap.c sample code has been compiled into a new DLL called pam_ldap.dll and placed in the %INFORMIXDIR%\dbssodir\lib directory. For information on how to install and customize the LDAP Authentication Module, see the Security Guide.
These notes describes features and changes not covered in the IBM Informix SNMP Subagent Guide or modified since publication.
There are no notes or corrections at this time.
These notes describes features and changes not covered in the IBM Informix Storage Manager Administrator's Guide or modified since publication.
There are no notes or corrections at this time.
These notes describes features and changes not covered in the IBM Informix User-Defined Routines and Data Types Developer's Guide or modified since publication.
There are no notes or corrections at this time.
These notes describes features and topics not covered in the IBM Informix Virtual-Index Interface Programmer's Guide or modified since publication.
There are no notes or corrections at this time.
These notes describes features and changes not covered in the IBM Informix Virtual-Table Interface Programmer's Guide or modified since publication.
There are no notes or corrections at this time.
These notes describes features and changes not covered in the IBM Informix XML User's Guide or modified since publication.
The function that is documented as extractxmlclob() should be extractvalueclob(). Using extractxmlclob() results in an error.