Re: STRANAGE SELECT BEHAVIOR

From: Jaap W. van Dijk <j.w.vandijk.removethis_at_hetnet.nl>
Date: Sun, 15 Sep 2002 16:08:32 +0200
Message-ID: <ao49oucc3o9fovmm81ipvfn1mv000et0pg@4ax.com>

On Sat, 14 Sep 2002 17:07:16 GMT, "Jim Kennedy" <kennedy-family_at_attbi.com> wrote:

>Read the documentation on data types (sql reference manual). If you are
>using char then everything is blank padded and so you have to compare with
>the blanks. You should be using varchar2 which is not blank padded and then
>you don't have to pad the queries with blanks.
>Jim

...

No, it's the other way around. Trailing spaces when comparing CHAR fields don't matter: Oracle will right pad the shorter field until it is as long as the longer field and then do the comparison. When using VARCHAR2 Oracle will use the trailing spaces you have specified. So (b is for blank) if you have stored 'X' in a VARCHAR2 field in the database is will not be the same as the literal 'Xb'.

Jaap. Received on Sun Sep 15 2002 - 09:08:32 CDT