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User defined functions (UDFs) are implemented in SQL Firebird for the purpose of functionality extension. The use of existing Dynamic Link Libraries (DLL) is implied in this case. Moreover, you can create a DLL in any supporting system capable of creating files of this format (for example, you can use Borland Delphi, Borland C++, Microsoft Visual C++, etc.). Then you are to place the DLL file in the program \Udf directory. Afterwards you declare the necessary functions in your database. Firebird will invoke the library from this directory, and you will be able to use the UDFs as they were native Firebird functions. See Declare external function (Firebird SQL Reference) to learn more about UDFs.SQL Anywhere allows to define user-specific database functions. In an SQL statement, you can then use these user-defined database functions in the same way as any other predefined functions.

New UDFs are created within Create UDF Wizard. In order to run the wizard you should either

•	select the Object \| Create Database Object... main menu item;

•	select the UDF icon in the Create Database Object dialog

•	select the UDFs list or any object from that list in the explorer tree;

•	select the Create New UDF... item from the popup menu

•	open Database Editor and the UDFs tab there;

•	press the Insert key or select the Create New UDF item from the popup menu (alternatively, you may use the corresponding link of the Navigation Bar).

To create a new UDF with the same properties as one of the existing UDFs has:

•	select the Object \| Duplicate Database Object... main menu item;

•	follow the instructions of Duplicate Object Wizard.

UDFs can be edited within UDFEditor. In order to open the editor you should either

•	select the UDF for editing in the explorer tree (type the first letters of the UDF name for quick search);

•	select the Edit UDF item from the popup menu

•	open Database Editor and the UDFs tab there;

•	select the UDF to edit;

•	press the Enter key or select the Edit UDF item from the popup menu (alternatively, you may use the corresponding link of the Navigation Bar).

You can change the name of the UDF using the Rename UDF dialog:

•	select the UDF to rename in the explorer tree;

•	select the Rename UDF item from the popup menu.

To drop a UDF:

•	select the UDF to drop in the explorer tree;

•	select the Drop UDF item from the popup menu

•	open Database Editor and the UDFs tab there;

•	select the UDF to drop;

•	press the Delete key or select the Drop UDF item from the popup menu (alternatively, you may use the corresponding link of the Navigation Bar)

and confirm dropping in the dialog window.