Re: Help, my developers are killing me with varchar2(4000)

From: DA Morgan <damorgan_at_psoug.org>
Date: Mon, 11 Aug 2008 10:40:10 -0700
Message-ID: <1218476401.55291@bubbleator.drizzle.com>


Wolfram Roesler wrote:
> sybrandb_at_hccnet.nl wrote in news:sng0a4p22d5tnep5em9cn9qnjqfgcs709c@
> 4ax.com:
>

>>> Neither has the question been asked why Oracle doesn't support
>>> a random length string datatype.
>> That question doesn't need to be asked.

>
> Why not?

Well for one thing there's SYS.ANYDATA.

>> First of all Oracle already has CLOBs for this purpose, since 8.0, so
>> in the previous milennium.

>
> Can a CLOB be used in the same way a VARCHAR2 can be used, e. g. in
> SELECT, UPDATE, WHERE, ORDER BY, GROUP etc.?

With, in some cases, the use of the DBMS_LOB package: Yes.

>> Secondly, a random length string datatype would cause heavy row
>> chaining, so kill performance.

>
> Could you elaborate on this?

Go to http://tahiti.oracle.com and look up row chaining. If you don't understand the concept and the implications reading the docs is better than a few random sentences thrown over the cubicle wall.

> Thanks and best regards
> W. Rösler

Serge: You really need to start spending more time in Redwood Shores. <g> Maybe take a job there.

-- 
Daniel A. Morgan
Oracle Ace Director & Instructor
University of Washington
damorgan_at_x.washington.edu (replace x with u to respond)
Puget Sound Oracle Users Group
www.psoug.org
Received on Mon Aug 11 2008 - 12:40:10 CDT

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