Github user DaveBirdsall commented on a diff in the pull request:
https://github.com/apache/incubator-trafodion/pull/1229#discussion_r138772157
--- Diff: docs/lob_guide/src/asciidoc/_chapters/work_with_lob.adoc ---
@@ -0,0 +1,738 @@
+////
+/**
+* @@@ START COPYRIGHT @@@
+*
+* Licensed to the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) under one
+* or more contributor license agreements. See the NOTICE file
+* distributed with this work for additional information
+* regarding copyright ownership. The ASF licenses this file
+* to you under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the
+* "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance
+* with the License. You may obtain a copy of the License at
+*
+* http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+*
+* Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
+* software distributed under the License is distributed on an
+* "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
+* KIND, either express or implied. See the License for the
+* specific language governing permissions and limitations
+* under the License.
+*
+* @@@ END COPYRIGHT @@@
+*/
+////
+
+[#work with lob]
+= Work with LOB
+
+[#create a sql table with lob columns]
+== Create a SQL Table with LOB Columns
+
+When creating a SQL table with LOB columns, following relevant tables and
files are created as well:
+
+* One LOB MD table.
+* Two dependent descriptor tables.
+* HDFS data file (locates at /user/trafodion/lobs) for each column.
+
+[#syntax]
+== Syntax
+
+```
+CREATE TABLE table-name (lob-column-spec[, lob-column-spec]â¦)
+```
+
+```
+lob-column-spec is:
+column {lob type}
+
+lob type is:
+BLOB | CLOB [({numeric literal} [unit])] [STORAGE 'storage literal']
+
+unit is:
+empty |
+K |
+M |
+G
+```
+
+[#semantics]
+=== Semantics
+
+* `_storage literal_`
+
++
+Currently Trafodion only support `'EXTERNAL'` here.
+
++
+External LOB object that are not managed by Trafodion.
+
+* `_empty_`
+
++
+Number of bytes specified by the numeric literal.
+
+* `_K_`
+
++
+Numeric literal value * 1024.
+
+* `_M_`
+
++
+Numeric literal value * 1024 * 1024.
+
+* `_G_`
+
++
+Numeric literal value * 1024 * 1024 * 1024.
+
+[#examples]
+=== Examples
+
+* This example creates a table tlob1 with 2 columns and primary key on the
c1.
+
++
+
+```
+CREATE TABLE tlob1 (c1 INT NOT NULL, c2 BLOB, PRIMARY KEY (c1));
+```
+
+* This example creates a table tlob2 with 3 columns and primary key on the
c1.
+
++
+
+```
+CREATE TABLE tlob2 (c1 INT NOT NULL, c2 BLOB, c3 CLOB, PRIMARY KEY (c1));
+```
+
+* This example creates a table tlob130txt_limit50 with 2 columns and
primary key on the c1.
+
++
+
+```
+CREATE TABLE tlob130txt_limit50 (c1 INT NOT NULL, c2 CLOB(50), PRIMARY KEY
(c1));
+```
+
+* This example creates a table tlob130bin_limit1K with 2 columns and
primary key on the c1.
+
++
+
+```
+CREATE TABLE tlob130bin_limit1K (c1 INT NOT NULL, c2 BLOB(1 K), PRIMARY
KEY (c1));
+```
+
+* This example creates a table tlob130ext with 4 columns and primary key
on the c1.
+
++
+
+```
+CREATE TABLE tlob130ext (c1 INT NOT NULL, c2 BLOB, c3 CLOB, c4 BLOB
STORAGE 'EXTERNAL', PRIMARY KEY (c1));
+```
+
+[#hdfs location of lob data]
+=== HDFS Location of LOB Data
+
+When a LOB table is created, the underlying LOB data needs to be stored in
HDFS.It is in the /user/trafodion/lobs by default.
+
+All columns of a table that are declared as LOB types will have all their
data in one file derived from the Object UID and the LOB number of that column
which gets assigned during creation.
+
+The following is a LOB file with 2 columns you will see 2 files in HDFS:
+
+/user/trafodion/lobs /LOBP_03683514167332904796_0001
+
+/user/trafodion/lobs/LOBP_03683514167332904796_0002
+
+As rows are added to this column, the LOB data for each row gets appended
to the corresponding columnâs LOB data file.
+
+[#insert into a sql table containing lob columns]
+== Insert into a SQL Table Containing LOB Columns
+
+[#syntax]
+=== Syntax
+
+```
+INSERT INTO table-name [(target-col-list)] insert-source
+```
+
+```
+target-col-list is:
+colname[, colname]...
+
+insert-source is:
+VALUES(lob_query-expr[, lob_query-expr])
+
+lob_query-expr is:
+NULL | ?
|
+EMPTY_BLOB()
|
+EMPTY_CLOB()
|
+STRINGTOLOB('string literal expression')
|
+FILETOLOB('lob source file name')
|
+BUFFERTOLOB(LOCATION lob source buffer address, LENGTH lob length value)
|
+EXTERNALTOLOB('external lob source file name')
+
+lob source file name is:
+hdfs:///{local hdfs file name} |
+{local linux file name} |
+{file:///linux file name}
+
+external lob source file name is:
+hdfs:///{local hdfs file name}
+```
+[#semantics]
+=== Semantics
+
+* `_EMPTY_BLOB(), EMPTY_CLOB()_`
++
+Returns an empty LOB handle.
+
+* `_STRINGTOLOB_`
++
+Converts a simple string literal into LOB format.
+
+** `_string literal expression_`
++
+is a series of characters enclosed in single quotes.
+
+* `_FILETOLOB_`
++
+Converts data from a local linux/hdfs file into LOB format.
+
+* `_BUFFERTOLOB_`
++
+Takes an address and a size of an input buffer, and converts the data
pointed to by that buffer into LOB.
+
+** `_lob source buffer address_`
++
+The long value of the user buffer address in int64.
+
+** `_lob length value_`
++
+The length of the user specified lob buffer in int64.
+
+[#considerations]
+=== Considerations
+
+The source for inserting into a LOB can be any of the following:
+
+* A parameter.
++
+An unnamed parameter can be used to prepare a statement and then during an
execution, either a function or a simple string parameter can be passed in
which will be converted to LOB data.
+
+* `EMPTY_BLOB()` or `EMPTY_CLOB()`
+
+** If `EMPTY_BLOB()` or `EMPTY_CLOB()` is specified, then a dummy lob
handle is created.
+
+*** No data is associated with the empty LOBs yet, but these dummy LOB
handles can later be used to populate with new LOB data. If the LOB had data
previously associated with it, it will be erased.
+
+*** The dummy LOB handle will get the same datatype as the underlying
column.
++
+For example, if the LOB column was defined as `'EXTERNAL'` during table
creation, then the LOB column gets that type. If itâs not defined, then it is
considered as a regular LOB.
+
+** An empty LOB is distinct from a LOB containing a string of length zero
or a null LOB.
+
+* An in-memory LOB which is a simple string data.
++
+To insert a string literal, you need to provide `STRINGTOLOB('string
literal expression')`.
+
+* An on-platform file (linux/hdfs file) containing binary or text data.
++
+To insert an on-platform file, you need to provide `FILETOLOB('lob source
file name')`.
+
+* A user buffer of a specified length allocated in user space.
++
+To insert a buffer, you need to provide the address and size of the buffer.
+
+* An external LOB.
++
+When an external LOB is specified via `EXTERNALTOLOB('external lob source
file name')`, the data associated with the external HDFS file is not
transferred into the Trafodion LOB. Instead, Trafodion stores the file
path/handle of the external file.
++
+For example, if you have a directory of pictures, you can specify the full
hdfs path to each picture file to this function and the path will get stored in
the Trafodion table. Later during retrieval, the file name will be used to go
to the actual file to retrieve the data.
+
+[#examples]
+=== Examples
+
+* This example uses the `STRINGTOLOB` function that converts a simple
string literal into LOB format before inserting.
++
+```
+INSERT INTO tlob1 VALUES(1,stringtolob('inserted row'));
+```
+
+* This example uses the `FILETOLOB` function that converts data from a
local file into LOB format, and stores all data into HDFS associated with that
column/row.
++
+```
+INSERT INTO tlob130txt1 VALUES(1,filetolob('lob_input_a1.txt'));
+```
+
+* This example takes an int64 value as an input which is an address to a
buffer and a size parameter. The buffer contents are converted to LOB format
and stored in HDFS.
++
+```
+INSERT INTO tlob1 VALUES (1, buffertolob(LOCATION 124647474, SIZE 2048));
+```
+
+* This example uses different functions to convert strings, files,
external lob into LOB data. The EXTERNALTOLOB function takes an external file.
++
+```
+INSERT INTO tlob130ext VALUES(1, STRINGTOLOB('first lob'),
+FILETOLOB('hdfs:///lobs/lob_input_a1.txt'),
+EXTERNALTOLOB('hdfs:///lobs/lob_input_a1.txt'));
+```
+
+* This example uses a parameter.
++
+```
+PREPARE S FROM INSERT INTO t130lob2 VALUES (1, ?);
+EXECUTE S USING 'fgfgfhfhfhfhhfhfhfhjfkkfkffllflflfll';
+```
+
+* This example uses the `EMPTY_BLOB` function to insert an empty lob and
creates a dummy lob handle.
++
+```
+INSERT INTO t130lob2 VALUES (1, empty_blob());
+```
+
+[#insert into a sql table containing lob columns using select clause]
+== Insert into a SQL Table Containing LOB Columns Using Select Clause
+
+[#syntax]
+=== Syntax
+
+```
+INSERT INTO target-table [(target-col-list-expr)] SELECT
[source-col-list-expr] FROM source-table
+```
+
+```
+target-col-list-expr is:
+target-colname[, target-colname]...
+
+target-colname is:
+trafodion lob column name
+
+source-col-list-expr is:
+source-colname[, source-colname]...
+
+source-colname is:
+hive varchar column name |
+trafodion varchar column name |
+trafodion char column name |
+trafodion lob column name
+
+source-table is:
+hive table |
+trafodion table
+```
+
+[#semantics]
+=== semantics
+
+* `_target-col-list-expr_`
++
+Names a single column or multiple columns enclosed in parentheses in the
target table in which to insert values.
+
++
+The data type of each target column must be compatible with the data type
of its corresponding source value.
+
++
+Within the list, each target column must have the same position as its
associated source value.
+
+** `_target-colname_`
++
+is a SQL identifier that specifies a target column name.
+
+* `_source-col-list-expr_`
++
+Names a single column or multiple columns enclosed in parentheses in the
source table from which to get values.
+
+** `_source-colname_`
++
+is a SQL identifier that specifies a source column name.
+
+[#considerations]
+=== Considerations
+
+When inserting from a source Trafodion table column into a target table,
the source column subtype of the LOB column needs to match the target table
column. That is, you cannot insert from an external LOB column into a regular
LOB column in the target. They both need to be the same type.
+
+The source for the *select clause* can be any of the following:
+
+* A source hive table column that is a hive varchar column
+* A source table column that is a Trafodion varchar, char and LOB column
+* A source table column that is also a LOB datatype.
+
+[#examples]
+=== Examples
+* This example inserts the first 10 rows of d_date_sk and d_date_id
selected from the source hive table hive.hive.date_dim into the target table
t130lob2.
++
+```
+INSERT INTO t130lob2 SELECT [first 10] d_date_sk,d_date_id FROM
hive.hive.date_dim;
+```
+
+* This example inserts the c1 and c2 selected from the source Trafodion
table t130var into the c1 and c2 of the target table t130lob2.
++
+```
+INSERT INTO t130lob2(c1,c2) SELECT c1,c2 FROM t130var;
+```
+
+* This example inserts the c1 and c2 selected from the source Trafodion
table t130char into the c1 and c2 of the target table t130lob2.
++
+```
+INSERT INTO t130lob2(c1,c2) SELECT c1,c2 FROM t130char;
+```
+
+* This example inserts the c1, c2 and c3 selected from the source
Trafodion table t130lob2 into the target table t130lob3, and then shows the
result.
++
+```
+INSERT INTO t130lob3 SELECT c1,c2,c3 FROM t130lob2;
+SELECT c1,lobtostring(c2,100),lobtostring(c3,100) FROM t130lob3;
+```
+
+[#update a sql table containing lob columns]
+== Update a SQL Table Containing LOB Columns
+
+The source for updating a LOB can be divided into 2 groups:
+
+* Update using parameters/functions
+* Update using LOB handle
+
+[#update using parameters/functions]
+=== Update Using Parameters/Functions
+
+The following parameters/functions can be used to update.
+
+* A parameter.
+* `EMPTY_BLOB` or `EMPTY_CLOB`.
+* An in-memory lob which is a simple string data.
++
+To insert this string, a literal needs to be provided.
--- End diff --
Perhaps this line should end with a colon, since the bullets in the list
seem to be completing this sentence?
---
