PL/SQL Questions...

From: Richard Fairbairn <r.fairbairn_at_zetnet.co.uk>
Date: Thu, 21 May 1998 14:37:53 +0100
Message-ID: <1998052114375376740@zetnet.co.uk>

I have one or two Procedural SQL queries and wonder if anyone has a few minutes to entertain them. Here's the first:

How do I change ORA error messages (so they are more user friendly, for example).
I've tried using PRAGMA EXCEPTION_INIT, but don't understand how it should work (and therefore why it does not).

Also, how do the datatypes CHAR and VARCHAR2 differ from a SQL and PL/SQL P.O.V.? I've just heard that when you create a table (E.g., CREATE TABLE my_tab
(my_column VARCHAR2(20));

The datatype differs as to when you use it as such:

DECLARE
my_var VARCHAR2(30);
begin
...

I am curious about this as I am led to believe that VARCHAR2 (and other datatypes?) behave in different ways according to how they are used.

Can someone spare a minute to answer these questions? I'd be very grateful.

Best regards

Richard Fairbairn Received on Thu May 21 1998 - 08:37:53 CDT