8. SQL Statements : COPY FROM | INTO PROGRAM : Row Formats
 
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Row Formats
The COPY FROM | INTO PROGRAM statement permits variable and fixed character formats (the easiest to program), as well as numeric formats.
Note:  If numeric formats are used, the numeric data is not aligned on any special boundary in the row.
This behavior is significant on UNIX:
With COPY INTO PROGRAM, a handler on UNIX must copy numeric data a byte at a time into aligned memory before assigning the values.
With COPY FROM PROGRAM, the handler must copy numeric data a byte at a time into the row buffer. Numeric data cannot be directly assigned due to alignment problems.
For an example of a handler copying numeric data, see the COPY FROM PROGRAM using Fixed-length Formats section.