Re: VARCHAR2(50) or VARCHAR2(256). Why do I care?

A copy of this was sent to "Alan Hopkins" <ahop_at_CYBERIA.COM> (if that email address didn't require changing) On Thu, 11 Nov 1999 12:24:53 -0500, you wrote:

>What's the performance implications of using 'correctly' sized (based on
>usage) of columns, vs. making these sizes excessive?
>Are there network implications? Database implications?
>

no real performance/network implications (unless they are CHAR() -- then they are padded out to the max size.

Big difference to the application though. If a field is supposed to be 50 bytes and you let it goto 256, you have just lost an edit on the field. If the field is supposed to be allowed to goto 256 and you only let it goto 50 bytes, you've done something wrong.

Make the fields be the right size for the data else you'll get data that fits into the field definition but is too long (business rule wise) for that field.

--
See http://osi.oracle.com/~tkyte/ for my columns 'Digging-in to Oracle8i'... Current article is "Part I of V, Autonomous Transactions" updated June 21'st  

Thomas Kyte                   tkyte_at_us.oracle.com
Oracle Service Industries     Reston, VA   USA

Opinions are mine and do not necessarily reflect those of Oracle Corporation Received on Thu Nov 11 1999 - 12:11:14 CST