creating a timecode type?

From: <mh_at_pixar.com>
Date: Tue, 24 Feb 2009 07:37:37 GMT
Message-ID: <5tNol.11211$hc1.4451_at_flpi150.ffdc.sbc.com>

Here's a question from a coworker. The data type is a video timecode, which is a standard used in video cameras, video editing programs, and video players such as quicktime.

I've never created a custom type before, so I'm hoping to get some good advice for him here... thanks!

My coworker writes:
> We'd like to store time values in Oracle like this:
>
> numerator int64
> denominator int64
> flags byte (normal, infinite, indeterminate)
>
> Ideally we would also like to perform logical operations like =, < and >
> on them.
>
> I imagine three paths forward:
>
> 1. Encode them into a string and use custom functions to perform
> comparison operations.
> 2. Encode them into three separate fields and use custom functions to
> perform comparison operations.
> 3. Tell Oracle about this new data type at a lower level.
>
> I can imagine that someone else in the world has wanted to add timecode,
> or complex numbers or astronomical positions or some other wacky data
> type - does Oracle have a nice solution for this?

-- 
Mark Harrison
Pixar Animation Studios

Received on Tue Feb 24 2009 - 01:37:37 CST