SQL samples of INSERT/SELECT DB2 BLOB data type.
db2 => drop table <TABLE>
db2 => create table <TABLE>(a varchar(4), b varchar(4) for bit data, c blob(4))
db2 => describe select * from <TABLE>
Column Information
Number of columns: 3
Name Data type Schema Name
SQL type Type length Column name length Lob length schema length Data type name length
-------------------- ----------- ------------------------------ ------ ---------- --------- ------ ------------------ --------
449 VARCHAR 4 A 1 0 SYSIBM 6 VARCHAR 7
449 VARCHAR 4 B 1 0 SYSIBM 6 VARCHAR 7
405 BLOB 0 C 1 4 SYSIBM 6 BLOB 4
INSERT
insert into <TABLE> values('1234', x'F1f2F3f4', blob(x'F1f2F3f4'))
insert into <TABLE> values('2345', x'F2ffF4f5', blob('2345'))
Insert 2 row data, all fields values are character '1234', and '2345'.
SELECT
db2 => select a,b,c from <TABLE>
A B C
---- ----------- -----------
1234 x'F1F2F3F4' x'F1F2F3F4'
2345 x'F2FFF4F5' x'F2F3F4F5'
db2 => select hex(a), hex(b), hex(c) from <TABLE>
-------- -------- --------
F1F2F3F4 F1F2F3F4 F1F2F3F4
F2F3F4F5 F2FFF4F5 F2F3F4F5
db2 => select a, varchar(b) from <TABLE>
A
---- -----------
1234 x'F1F2F3F4'
2345 x'F2FFF4F5'
2 record(s) selected.But another SELECT
db2 => select varchar(c) from <TABLE>
SQL0171N The data type, length or value of the argument for the parameter in
position "1" of routine "VARCHAR" is incorrect. Parameter name: "".
SQLSTATE=42815
See, the BLOB could not be converted to CHAR/VARCHAR, and there is no way i could find to convert a BLOB column into characters type.
The only way to show a BLOB is using hex(...) function converting into hexadecimal characters. (Note, the hex(...) function could only convert 16K length of a BLOB)