8. SQL Statements : COPY FROM | INTO PROGRAM : Fixed-length Formats
 
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Fixed-length Formats
The following table lists the length and characteristics of fixed-length data types. With COPY INTO PROGRAM, this table shows how data is formatted by Ingres into the row buffer handed to the user-defined handler. With COPY FROM PROGRAM, this table shows how the user-defined handler must format the data.
Data Type
Format
integer
4 bytes
integer with null
5 bytes
float
8 bytes
float with null
9 bytes
character(n)
n bytes
character(n) with null
n+1 bytes
character(n) with null ('value')
n bytes
varchar(n)
n+5 bytes for the count (char representation)
varchar(n) with null
n+1+5 bytes
varchar(n) with null ('value')
n+5 bytes
Note:   
• For bulk copy, the formats for integer, float and character are the same as for fixed length. The varchar format differs in that the count is represented in internal format (as a 2-byte integer quantity).
• Date and money formats are internal. It is assumed that a user-defined handler will use a character format for date and a character or float format for money.