The Ion 1.1 Draft Specification

Binary Data

Blobs

Opcode FE indicates a blob of binary data. A FlexUInt follows that represents the blob's byte-length.

0xEB x07 represents null.blob.

Example blob encoding

┌──── Opcode FE indicates a blob, FlexUInt length follows
│   ┌─── Length: FlexUInt 24
│   │
FE 31 49 20 61 70 70 6c 61 75 64 20 79 6f 75 72 20 63 75 72 69 6f 73 69 74 79
      └────────────────────────────────┬────────────────────────────────────┘
                            24 bytes of binary data

Encoding of null.blob

┌──── Opcode 0xEB indicates a typed null; a byte follows specifying the type
│  ┌─── Null type: blob
│  │
EB 07

Clobs

Opcode FF indicates a clob--binary character data of an unspecified encoding. A FlexUInt follows that represents the clob's byte-length.

0xEB x08 represents null.clob.

Example clob encoding

┌──── Opcode FF indicates a clob, FlexUInt length follows
│   ┌─── Length: FlexUInt 24
│   │
FF 31 49 20 61 70 70 6c 61 75 64 20 79 6f 75 72 20 63 75 72 69 6f 73 69 74 79
      └────────────────────────────────┬────────────────────────────────────┘
                            24 bytes of binary data

Encoding of null.clob

┌──── Opcode 0xEB indicates a typed null; a byte follows specifying the type
│  ┌─── Null type: clob
│  │
EB 08