Re: problem with SQL*Loader

On Feb 17, 1996 00:00:00 in article <Re: problem with SQL*Loader>, 'Charles Wolfe <cwolfe_at_ix.netcom.com>' wrote:    

>Gene Gurevich <geneg_at_umich.edu> wrote:
>> Hi all! I am using SQL*Loader 7.1.4 to load the data into ORACLE
>>tables. It seems to me that SQL*Loader translates blanks into nulls while
 

>>loading data... Has any one else experienced this? How can I prevent it?
>>TIA
>
>In order to load all-blank CHAR fields as blanks those fields must be
>enclosed within delimiters. Otherwise such fields are loaded as null.
>Blank DATE and numeric fields cause the record to be rejected. In order
>to load those fields as null it is necessary to use the NULLIF BLANKS
>clause.
>
>You should be cautious about storing blank fields as blanks, as
>this generates the same amount of storage overhead as if those fields
>contained any other alphanumeric characters. Also, you shouldn't use
>blanks to indicate (or test for) absence of value in a field. That's
>what nulls are for.
>
>regards,
>Chuck
 

The experience I had is that Oracle makes it very difficult for you to store blanks, i.e. even if you manage to store a blank, it will be retrieved as a NULL. So there isn't much point in trying to prevent it. It's preferable to (and I realize it's probably too late now) design your database in a way that minimizes blanks/nulls. Otherwise you may end up messing with indicator variables, which are a problem in themselves. Just my .02.  

Amy Received on Tue Feb 20 1996 - 00:00:00 CET