Re: char vs varchar ?

> >In article <3n5vrf$bqo_at_cardinal.fs.com>,
> >
> >With Oracle 7, is their a performance decrease when using both fixed and
 varchar fields?
> >
> >We are designing a database using a CASE tool. We want to use both fixed
 and varchar fields
> >because the database will be generated for both Oracle (on the
 workstation) and DB2
> >(on the mainframe). DB2 runs faster with fixed fields than varchar fields.
> >
> >Now another group will access our database with other tools, including
 Oracle Forms.
> >They want us to define all fields as varchar instead of our current
 design, which mixes
> >fixed and varchar fields.
 

>>>>

You have to be careful with the use of char in CASE. I remember the generators won't work if you were using char fields. That was some time ago, so I don't know if it is fixed already.

There were another problem using char fields in the database. Forms assume you are using varchar and won't work sometimes in lovs or procedures, when you have a field defined as char.

varchar2(10)	char(10)
hello|	!=	hello______|

I think this is the main reason your forms people don't want mixed fields.

Juan
jpadilla_at_epix.net Received on Wed May 03 1995 - 00:00:00 CEST