Re: Oracle 7.3 Long Fields

In article <4nqu0t$t0s_at_xenon.brooks.af.mil>, Meredith Poor <Meredith.Poor_at_brooks.af.mil> wrote:
>Programs that are trying to use Long fields, or Varchar2s longer than 255
>characters, are having some problems. SQL*Forms 3.0 fails when trying to
>update Longs. Forms 4.5 fails if there is an attempt to update a Long
>that is larger than 2000 characters. Intersolv DataDirect Multilink
>fails on any attempt to update a Long, and any attempt to update a
>Varchar2 if the length of the data exceeds 255 characters.
>
>Oddly enough, Microsoft Access using similar Intersolv Data Direct
>drivers works fine. SQL*Plus will also do updates.
>
>One possible explanation is that Oracle (or someone) is now interpreting
>the rules for delimiting strings differently from earlier
>implementations. Software is operating inconsistently, but the
>variations are minor. Thus, the program will accept records returned
>from a query and display them, but something imbedded in the message
>string causes the client side to lose confidence in the return. With
>some doubt about the validity of the data, the software refuses to accept
>an update.
>
>Does anyone have a more concrete explanation, and in particular, a
>workaround? Best yet, is anyone at Oracle willing to offer up a date for
>a fix, if one is needed.

Knowing the interfaces involved, it's most likely not the Oracle database or client libs. LONGs are special as far as Oracle is concerned and you have to treat them different than a large VARCHAR. In particular there are functions for specifically binding LONGs and retrieving LONGs. This is something I've seen go around and around. The problems you describe do sounds like client problems, as in the application or driver. LONGs are binary and are not interpreted by the rdbms or the Oracle client libs, unless you do something silly and bind them as strings.
So, while I don't think it's the Oracle rdbms or client libs, it could still be an Oracle app or driver.(Forms 3.0 was around before long-LONGs, so that might not be a fair one...)
Anyway, chekc out the OCI manual if you can and you'll get a good idea. (7.3 is best, but 7.2 or 7.1 will do).

>
Received on Thu May 23 1996 - 00:00:00 CEST