Re: Truncate vs Delete

I think (d) none of the above.

Oracle only inserts into blocks on the table's FREE LIST.

A block is removed from the FREE LIST when it has less than 10% free space left.

Row deletes increase the free space in a block. When the block has more than 60% free space, it goes back on the FREE LIST.

So space is eventually reused without anyone doing anything 'special'.

Sykle wrote:

> I have a table that will contain messages every time a report is run. This
> table will be cleared out every week, deleting messages from 2 weeks ago.
> OK, so I am aware that 'Truncate' will clear ALL data from my table, whereas
> 'Delete' will not. However, I cannot use 'Truncate' for my purposes here.
> However, to my knowledge, 'Delete' will not release the space for additional
> 'Inserts'. I want to be able to run this report every week, without
> requiring our DBA to go in and release the space every other week. So, the
> question is, will the space released by the 'Delete' be reused
> (a)immediately, (b) only when the table has run out of space and goes back
> to the beginning, or (c) not until a DBA goes in a releases the space?
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Greg
Received on Tue Feb 16 1999 - 19:22:42 CST