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README.blob_util.md

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RDB$BLOB_UTIL package (FB 5.0)

This package exists to manipulate BLOBs in a way that standard Firebird functions, like BLOB_APPEND and SUBSTRING cannot do it or is very slow.

These routines operates on binary data directly, even for text BLOBs.

Function NEW_BLOB

RDB$BLOB_UTIL.NEW_BLOB is used to create a new BLOB. It returns a BLOB suitable for data appending, like BLOB_APPEND does.

The advantage over BLOB_APPEND is that it's possible to set custom SEGMENTED and TEMP_STORAGE options.

BLOB_APPEND always creates BLOB in temporary storage. That may not be the best approach if the created BLOB is going to be stored in a permanent table, as it will require copy.

Returned BLOB from this function, even when TEMP_STORAGE = FALSE may be used with BLOB_APPEND for appending data.

Input parameter:

  • SEGMENTED type BOOLEAN NOT NULL
  • TEMP_STORAGE type BOOLEAN NOT NULL

Return type: BLOB NOT NULL.

Function OPEN_BLOB

RDB$BLOB_UTIL.OPEN_BLOB is used to open an existing BLOB for read. It returns a handle (an integer bound to the transaction) suitable for use with others functions of this package, like SEEK, READ_DATA and CLOSE_HANDLE.

Input parameter:

  • BLOB type BLOB NOT NULL

Return type: INTEGER NOT NULL.

Function IS_WRITABLE

RDB$BLOB_UTIL.IS_WRITABLE returns TRUE when BLOB is suitable for data appending without copying using BLOB_APPEND.

Input parameter:

  • BLOB type BLOB NOT NULL

Return type: BOOLEAN NOT NULL.

Function READ_DATA

RDB$BLOB_UTIL.READ_DATA is used to read chunks of data of a BLOB handle opened with RDB$BLOB_UTIL.OPEN_BLOB. When the BLOB is fully read and there is no more data, it returns NULL.

If LENGTH is passed with a positive number, it returns a VARBINARY with its maximum length.

If LENGTH is NULL it returns just a segment of the BLOB with a maximum length of 32765.

Input parameters:

  • HANDLE type INTEGER NOT NULL
  • LENGTH type INTEGER

Return type: VARBINARY(32767).

Function SEEK

RDB$BLOB_UTIL.SEEK is used to set the position for the next READ_DATA. It returns the new position.

MODE may be 0 (from the start), 1 (from current position) or 2 (from end). The corresponding constants are available in the package: FROM_BEGIN, FROM_CURRENT, FROM_END.

When MODE is 2, OFFSET should be zero or negative.

Input parameter:

  • HANDLE type INTEGER NOT NULL
  • MODE type INTEGER NOT NULL
  • OFFSET type INTEGER NOT NULL

Return type: INTEGER NOT NULL.

Procedure CANCEL_BLOB

RDB$BLOB_UTIL.CANCEL_BLOB is used to immediately release a temporary BLOB, like one created with BLOB_APPEND.

Note that if the same BLOB is used after cancel, using the same variable or another one with the same BLOB id reference, invalid blob id error will be raised.

Procedure CLOSE_HANDLE

RDB$BLOB_UTIL.CLOSE_HANDLE is used to close a BLOB handle opened with RDB$BLOB_UTIL.OPEN_BLOB.

Not closed handles are closed automatically only in the transaction end.

Input parameter:

  • HANDLE type INTEGER NOT NULL

Examples

  • Example 1: Create a BLOB in temporary space and return it in EXECUTE BLOCK:
execute block returns (b blob)
as
begin
    -- Create a BLOB handle in the temporary space.
    b = rdb$blob_util.new_blob(false, true);

    -- Add chunks of data.
    b = blob_append(b, '12345');
    b = blob_append(b, '67');

    suspend;
end
  • Example 2: Open a BLOB and return chunks of it with EXECUTE BLOCK:
execute block returns (s varchar(10))
as
    declare b blob = '1234567';
    declare bhandle integer;
begin
    -- Open the BLOB and get a BLOB handle.
    bhandle = rdb$blob_util.open_blob(b);

    -- Get chunks of data as string and return.

    s = rdb$blob_util.read_data(bhandle, 3);
    suspend;

    s = rdb$blob_util.read_data(bhandle, 3);
    suspend;

    s = rdb$blob_util.read_data(bhandle, 3);
    suspend;

    -- Here EOF is found, so it returns NULL.
    s = rdb$blob_util.read_data(bhandle, 3);
    suspend;

    -- Close the BLOB handle.
    execute procedure rdb$blob_util.close_handle(bhandle);
end
  • Example 3: Seek in a blob.
set term !;

execute block returns (s varchar(10))
as
    declare b blob;
    declare bhandle integer;
begin
    -- Create a stream BLOB handle.
    b = rdb$blob_util.new_blob(false, true);

    -- Add data.
    b = blob_append(b, '0123456789');

    -- Open the BLOB.
    bhandle = rdb$blob_util.open_blob(b);

    -- Seek to 5 since the start.
    rdb$blob_util.seek(bhandle, 0, 5);
    s = rdb$blob_util.read_data(bhandle, 3);
    suspend;

    -- Seek to 2 since the start.
    rdb$blob_util.seek(bhandle, 0, 2);
    s = rdb$blob_util.read_data(bhandle, 3);
    suspend;

    -- Advance 2.
    rdb$blob_util.seek(bhandle, 1, 2);
    s = rdb$blob_util.read_data(bhandle, 3);
    suspend;

    -- Seek to -1 since the end.
    rdb$blob_util.seek(bhandle, 2, -1);
    s = rdb$blob_util.read_data(bhandle, 3);
    suspend;
end!

set term ;!
  • Example 4: Check if blobs are writable:
create table t(b blob);

set term !;

execute block returns (bool boolean)
as
    declare b blob;
begin
    b = blob_append(null, 'writable');
    bool = rdb$blob_util.is_writable(b);
    suspend;

    insert into t (b) values ('not writable') returning b into b;
    bool = rdb$blob_util.is_writable(b);
    suspend;
end!

set term ;!