Oracle FAQ Your Portal to the Oracle Knowledge Grid
HOME | ASK QUESTION | ADD INFO | SEARCH | E-MAIL US
 

Home -> Community -> Usenet -> c.d.o.server -> Re: about FBI.. don't panic please ;-)

Re: about FBI.. don't panic please ;-)

From: Paul Brewer <paul_at_paul.brewers.org.uk>
Date: Fri, 20 Dec 2002 22:28:09 -0000
Message-ID: <3e03a3a7_2@mk-nntp-1.news.uk.worldonline.com>


"TimC" <ITSNOTCornwell_at_cs.cornell.eduUNLESSYouSaySo> wrote in message news:atvt3a$ae2$1_at_news01.cit.cornell.edu...
> I think that you need to lookup Oracle's definition of deterministic. I
> believe it's quite different than what the OED would say... :-)
>
>
> "Antti Järvinen" <costello_at_iki.fi> wrote in message
> news:m3hed8jy0c.fsf_at_muikku.baana.suomi.net...
> > "Giovanni Azua" <bravegag_at_hotmail.com> writes:
> > > saying I provided a non-deterministic function:
> > >
> > > CREATE INDEX PURCHASEKEY
> > > ON PURCHASE_PRODUCT
> > >
>

(FOGFC_GETPURCHASEKEY(PERSON_ID,BRANCH_ID,PRODUCT_ID,PURCHASE_DATE,SIZE_ID,C
> > > OLOR_ID));
> > >
> > > The following error has occurred:
> > > ORA-30553: The function is not deterministic
> >
> > What does deterministic mean? I don't have documentation handy right now
> > and this determinism is odd concept to me.. does it mean 1:1 mapping
> between
> > input and output? I can see that not happening as you used to_char()
> > function with date-type with format string that did omit time-part
> > of the date, thus making all times of same day to produce same
> > output.
> >
> > But if determinism is something else then I have no clue.
> >
> > --
> > Antti Järvinen, costello_at_iki.fi
> > "concerto for two faggots and orchestra"
>
>

In oracle terms, it means it will reurn a consistent answer. But you assert it and Oracle will trust you, even if you're lying.

See Jonathan's excellent (and highly recommended IMHO) book for amplification.

Regards,
Paul Received on Fri Dec 20 2002 - 16:28:09 CST

Original text of this message

HOME | ASK QUESTION | ADD INFO | SEARCH | E-MAIL US