Comparing strings in SQL

Okay. I know just enough about Oracle and SQL to be dangerous.

I believe I'm running Oracle Version 7.0.12.1.0, on a Sun Sparc 10+, if that helps.

My question: How can you best compare a string stored in a char array with a string in an Oracle table? I thought you could do something like the following:

strcpy (request->USER_ID.arr, "hello");
request->USER_ID.len = strlen("hello");

SELECT USER_ID FROM PERSON WHERE PERSON.SSN# = :SSN; if ((strncmp(USER_ID.arr, request->USER_ID.arr))==0)

    x=1;
return x;
.
.
.

My problem is that I can never get a string that I pull from an ORACLE table to match one that I pass in as a VARCHAR. I think I have everything defined correctly, and I have no problem comparing integers, but strings are giving me a hard time.

Any ideas?

thanks

--Andy Zellner
  gt6853d_at_prism.gatech.edu

-- 
Andy Zellner
Internet: gt6853d_at_prism.gatech.edu
I'd rather be Caving...maybe I am!