Re: how to display partial results from a query (effectively)

Sharkie wrote:

> Since the query has to finish, it will sometimes take a long
> time to display the 10 results. There has to be a better way
> of doing this. Isn't there a way in oracle to quickly only return
> rows between certain rowcounts?

No. Think about it. I tell you to give me a list of surnames starting between D and F.

Then I tell you I only want rows 100 to 200 from the list of matching surnames.

You still have to find _all_ the surnames between D and F. Only then you can give the the matches starting from 100 to 200.

The query must thus be run in full each time. There is no way to make a single SQL statement only run "partially" and return a partial set of matches to you.

The only way around this is not to execute the query each time. Back to the above example. You have all the surnames between D and F for me. I tell you to keep the results lists in your hands. Do not throw it away.

I ask you for all matches between 50 and 60. Between 100 and 150. As you have the list in your hand, you can tell me. You do not have to go through the search process again.

In Oracle this is called cursors. You open a cursor to contain the result of your query. Now you can fetch rows from the cursor in batches.

However.. this is not possible via a normal web interface. A cursor requires a session to be kept alive and open. In other words, it needs state.

A web server by default is stateless. So to use cursors via a web server, you need to make those connection into sessions. Which is another rusty, half-empty, slightly warm, beer can.

--
Billy