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Home -> Community -> Usenet -> c.d.o.misc -> Re: Outcome of my research on OCP.
AndyMc (andymc_at_offclick.com) wrote:
: Be sure you know all the syntax, rules and DEFAULT values for defining and
: using sequences. It’s hard to know which functions the test will quiz you
: on, but be familiar with the basic ones including, but not limited to:
: TO_CHAR, NUMBER, SUBSTR, UPPER, LOWER, NVL, SUM, COUNT, DISTINCT. The
: more functions you know the better off you will be.
The thing that gets me about this sort of thing is that when I am writing a program I have the reference manual sitting open at my desk. (Well actually in an open window these days.) I see so many questions from people in these kind of groups where simply doing that as they wrote their code would save them so many problems and misunderstandings.
The only thing that counts most of the time is knowing that some exists so you can look it up. As long as you know it exists then read the manual. If it's new then read the manual. If it's old then maybe the version you're using has new features - so read the manual. If you use it a lot then maybe that default you never had to use has slipped your mind - so read the manual. Maybe the substr in one language works a little differently then the substr in five other languages you've just been looking at - so read the manual.
And I ask, why would you want to memorize all this stuff? The reference manual will virtually always be more reliable, and the time taken to fix one misunderstanding is way more than the time required to check things as you write them.
$0.10
-- This space not for rent.Received on Sat Jun 18 2005 - 15:01:10 CDT