IIRC, DUAL has been DUAL for as long as I've been using Oracle (since 4.0).
However, DUAL has one column, DUMMY varchar2(1)...
and, you're dead on with the 1 row thing. I had someone insert another row
in
DUAL on a system once upon a time...all kinds of things come unglued. Of
course,
nobody ever 'fessed up to "who done it"... :-)
"M Hashim" <mhashim_ca_at_passport.ca> wrote in message
news:3A6270DD.BDC81A84_at_passport.ca...
> DUAL used to be called DUMMY...
>
> Good point on DUAL allowing >1 row. I pulled a fast one on the team and
had them
> figured it out.....
>
> Van Messner wrote:
>
> > Actually dual is SUPPOSED to have only one row but you should watch
this.
> > It's possible to put more than one row into the table which can lead to
some
> > interesting things.
> >
> > Van
> >
> > "ez" <fake_at_fake.com> wrote in message
> > news:vw586.175693$eT4.13583518_at_nnrp3.clara.net...
> > > yes, there is a dual table owned by sys.
> > > desc sys.dual;
> > > it has only only column, datatype varchar2
> > >
> > > <chriss_at_enteract.com> wrote in message
news:93qnhc$873$1_at_nnrp1.deja.com...
> > > > I am learning PL/SQL and have looked through two books, google
> > > > searched, and 10 pages of DEJA and haven't found a good
explanation...
> > > >
> > > > My book gives the example:
> > > > SELECT 'COLUMBUS'
> > > > INTO v_city
> > > > FROM dual;
> > > >
> > > > There is no "dual" table though, so I'm curious just what this is.
I
> > > > would think it would be "FROM zipcode" which is the table that
contains
> > > > the city information.
> > > >
> > > > Insight appreciated. Thanks!
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Sent via Deja.com
> > > > http://www.deja.com/
> > >
> > >
>
Received on Mon Jan 15 2001 - 21:27:42 CST
