Re: Changing the Compatible parameter

Stephen B wrote:

> Oracle 8.1.7 on NT..
>
> Hello all.........
>
> Our client has recently upgraded to 8.1.7 but has set up development
> databases with the Compatible parameter set to 8.0.5.0.
>
> In one of the scripts I tried to run, I wanted to drop a column from a table
> and it wouldn't allow me to...the error said I needed to set the Compatible
> parameter to a later version..okay, so I checked Oracle online docs and it
> tells me it's a Static parameter...again, that's fine.
>
> I understand the purpose of the Compatible parameter but I don't understand
> the implications of changing it...in this specific case, the production
> version
> of the application runs on 8.0.5.0 but we're developing the new version in
> 8.1.7..
>
> Should I leave well enough alone and keep the parameter the way it is, or
> should I try to change it?
>
> Any thoughts are much appreciated!
>
> Steve
>
>
>

By nature, applications developed and sold, lack behind database versions in some degree. It is hard to develop for a thing that doesn't yet exist. Hence to avoid unwanted side effects for an 'old' application, you set the compability parameter to fit the version the app. was develloped for. If compability is set to a lover version, the database behaves as if it was version <compabible>. Hence features only avail. in the newer versions, are then not working. Very few software houses go back and test a version that is on the market on a newly released database version. (The thing on market is yesterdays snow, they are deep in the next brilliant super duper version X4 with 4wd and overdrive according to marketing anyway). So for support and the like many software houses demand the setting of compability, just to awoid work and trouble. Or they are not able to determine if new features will or could have any negative side effects. They then pick the 'free' (for them) demand as running like a version 'very' old. So if you are developing for version 8.1.7, run the thing as 8.1.7.

/Svend Jensen Received on Thu Jan 31 2002 - 13:57:51 CST