Re: CHAR vs VARCHAR

"Jérôme VUIBERT" <jerome.vuibert_at_fleximage.fr> wrote in message news:<3e8a915b$0$30756$626a54ce_at_news.free.fr>...
> With CHAR(4) the data will be recorded using exactly 4 caracters.
> With VARCHAR(4) the date will be recorded up to 4 caracters.
> So if you are sure that the data to be stored is exactly 4 caracters long,
> then use CHAR(4). The record will be optimized.
>
> Jerome
>
> "Paul Pruchnik" <paulrp_at_earthlink.net> a écrit dans le message de news:
> 5eria.3978$ey1.309583_at_newsread1.prod.itd.earthlink.net...
> > Greetings,
> > What is the savings of CHAR(4) vs VARCHAR(4) for storing a 4 (required)
> > character code? What is the overhead in using VARCHAR for fields of
> required
> > length?
> > Thanks,
> > -Paul Pruchnik
> >

It is my observation that most 'experts' seem to recommend the use of varchar2 over char, and from the few views I have had of modern application code from Oracle it appears Oracle development is using varchar2 over char even for varchar2(1) vs char.

IMHO -- Mark D Powell -- Received on Wed Apr 02 2003 - 14:32:27 CST