Re: What is table "dual"

It is a special table. It is just a dummy table. You don't add rows to this table or delete rows you just select from it. It is so you can do evaluations in sql.
Since you can't say sysdate as a command you might say select sysdate from dual;
Oracle recognizes that you just want the evaluation of the sysdate command and so it returns the current date/time. you can also say:
select floor(4,5) from dual;
and it will evaluate the function floor with the arguments 4 and 5. Jim
"Stjepan Brbot" <Stjepan.Brbot_at_ZG.HiNet.HR> wrote in message news:9u10fp$4tv5$1_at_as201.hinet.hr...
> How to know what one can find in this table (like "sysdate")? Desc on
> this table does not work!
>
> --
>
> Stjepan Brbot <Stjepan.Brbot_at_ZG.HiNet.HR>
>
>
> "Jim Kennedy" <kennedy-family_at_home.com> wrote in message
> news:d3AM7.81442$XJ4.44274249_at_news1.sttln1.wa.home.com...
> > It is a dummy table that people use for a variety of purposes. e.g.
> > evaluation
> >
> > select sysdate into myVariable from dual;
> >
> > Jim
> >
> > "Stjepan Brbot" <Stjepan.Brbot_at_ZG.HiNet.HR> wrote in message
> > news:9tuf3j$1ph9$3_at_as201.hinet.hr...
> > > See subject ... what is table "dual"?
> > >
> > > --
> > >
> > > Stjepan Brbot <Stjepan.Brbot_at_ZG.HiNet.HR>
>
>
Received on Tue Nov 27 2001 - 23:33:38 CET