Re: College finals help! End User input in PL/SQL?

On Sat, 24 Mar 2007 16:30:14 -0400, roadrunner <kevx_at_tampabay.rr.com> wrote:

>Ana C. Dent wrote:
>> kevx <camarosxs_at_tampabay.rr.coim> wrote in
>> news:4604f7ec$0$4851$4c368faf_at_roadrunner.com:
>>
>>> sybrandb_at_gmail.com wrote:
>>>> On Fri, 23 Mar 2007 22:13:09 -0400, roadrunner <kevx_at_tampabay.rr.com>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Help! I have a final due tomorrow and suddenly they throw in a
>>>>> problem that requires end user input, which we've never covered.
>>>>> They give a hint but it doesn't help much.
>>>>>
>>>>> Here's what is required:
>>>>> 1.0 Employee Master File/Table
>>>>> 1.1 Design the Employee Table using the following table
>>>>> specifications (10 Points)
>>>>>
>>>>> Field Name Data Type Description
>>>>> Employee_Code Text Primary Key
>>>>> Employee_SSN Text Social Security Number
>>>>> First_Name Text Employee First Name
>>>>> Last_Name Text Employee Last Name
>>>>> Employee_Doe Date Employee Date of Employment
>>>>> Employee_Dpt Text Employee Department
>>>>> Hourly_Rate Currency Employee Wage Hourly Rate
>>>>> Annual_Salary Currency Employee Annual Salary
>>>>>
>>>>> 1.2 Create a BERFORE INSERT trigger that will compute both the
>>>>> Employee Code
>>>>> and the Annual Salary. Include your program source code with your
>>>>> documentation. (70 Points)
>>>>>
>>>>> 1.3 Write a PL/SQL program that will prompt the end-user to enter
>>>>> some of the
>>>>> values of the Fields in step 1.1 above. Include your program source
>>>>> code with your documentation. (70 Points)
>>>>>
>>>>> Example:
>>>>> Enter Value for Employee First Name………………..……
>>>>> John Enter Value for Employee Last Name…………………...…
>>>>> David Enter Value for Employee
>>>>> SSN……………………............. 123456789 Enter Value
>>>>> for Employee Employment Date……............... 12/12/2005
>>>>> Enter Value for Employee Department Name……………..
>>>>> Engineering Enter Value for Employee Hourly
>>>>> Rate…………………… 20.50
>>>>>
>>>>> a. After the end-user has finished inputting the above data for
>>>>> an employee, the PL/SQL program will automatically insert the record
>>>>> into the employee Master Table.
>>>>>
>>>>> b. This record insertion action will trigger a BERFORE INSERT
>>>>> Trigger which will compute both the Employee Code and the Annual
>>>>> Salary
>>>>>
>>>>> Here is the hint that they give:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> SET SERVEROUTPUT ON FEEDBACK OFF
>>>>> DECLARE
>>>>> EmployeeFirstName VARCHAR2(25);
>>>>> BEGIN
>>>>> EmployeeFirstName := &Employee_First_Name;
>>>>>
>>>>> EXCEPTION
>>>>> WHEN OTHERS THEN
>>>>> NULL;
>>>>>
>>>>> END;
>>>>>
>>>>> Running this gives this error:
>>>>>
>>>>> ERROR at line 4:
>>>>> ORA-06550: line 4, column 24:
>>>>> PLS-00201: identifier 'JO' must be declared
>>>>> ORA-06550: line 4, column 3:
>>>>> PL/SQL: Statement ignored
>>>>>
>>>>> Huh? The variable is now named JOE instead of containing Joe? Am I
>>>>> doing something wrong? Wow I'm so bummed over this because I know
>>>>> what to do once I have this but can't figure it out. Anyone?
>>>> The code provided is incorrect. If you still don't know how to
>>>> address this, you deserve to fail the final. You don't deserve to
>>>> succeed the final by cheating, by getting help from this forum.
>>>> In the big world out there nobody will hold your hand.
>>>>
>>> What a jerk. Seeking the answer is not cheating.
>>
>> Using another person's answer is NOT cheating exactly how/why?
>> What is the difference between copying the answer from a person sitting
>> in the desk/chair next to you on a test than copying the answer from
>> Usenet?
>> In both cases the answer is not really your own.
>> How again is this NOT cheating?
>
>
>This wass an "open-computer" test. Did I ask anyone for the answer?

Actually you did.
Quoting from your own post
>>>>> Huh? The variable is now named JOE instead of containing Joe? Am I
>>>>> doing something wrong? Wow I'm so bummed over this because I know
>>>>> what to do once I have this but can't figure it out. Anyone?
I don't read 'Please point me in the right direction' anywhere. And if you don't even know how substitution variables work you deserve to fail the final.

Sybrand Bakker
Senior Oracle DBA Received on Sat Mar 24 2007 - 17:19:08 CDT