Re: SELECT COUNT(APPROXIMATELY *) FROM a WHERE b=c;

Monty wrote:
>
> Hello, every now and then I go to a website, perform a search, and it
> comes back and says "found APPROXIMATELY ? records".
>
> A case in point is "http://asktom.oracle.com" (click on
> Search/Archives, type in something in the search box, and press go)
> and I am probably not wrong in assuming there is an Oracle database
> behind this web site.
>
> How can an SQL search be formulated to find approximately the number
> of hits (which I'm assuming is just a quick preview of a very large
> database with a query before actually doing the 'real' query) ?
>
> Monty

I'm guessing either

1. intermedia indexes only being refreshed every 'n' hours
2. using a sample clause to speed the results

hth
connor

-- 
==============================
Connor McDonald

http://www.oracledba.co.uk

"Some days you're the pigeon, some days you're the statue..."