PCTFREE on Tables Vs. Indexes

Oracle Friends,
I have some confusion on PCTFREE value assigned to Tables Vs Indexes.

Oracle Manuals define PCTFREE on CREATE TABLE as the % (100 - PCTFREE value) that data will be inserted into before removing if from the free list and going to the next data block. The % of free space (PCTFREE value) is then reserved for future updates of existing rows. Not until that data block's used space falls below the PCTUSED factor is that data block placed back into the free list and Oracle allows inserts into it again up to the PCTFREE value.

The definition for PCTFREE on CREATE INDEX is the percentage of space to leave free for updates and insertions within each of the index's data blocks.

I thought PCTFREE was PCTFREE was PCTFREE. I understood the definition on CREATE TABLE to be true for any Oracle object. Oracle Press' Tuning Oracle (page 58-59) I believe confirms my 'CREATE TABLE' definition is correct for both tables and indexes.

Can someone help me understand how this is interpreted?

Thanks and regards,
Dale Leake
Graybar Electric Co.
St. Louis MO
314-692-5763
MIS!MISPO1!LeakeDG_at_graygent.attmail.com Received on Thu Jan 25 1996 - 14:58:21 CST