Values for only some constraints in the database

Why do we have values for "code files" such as state codes, marital status codes, or classification codes in their own data tables while other values for constraints, such as a number having to be positive or within a given range, in constraints, outside of the database?

Why are any constraints (other than foreign keys) not stored within the database as with any other relevant data? Rules are a form of constraint that is stored in the database -- why have any such information in a proprietary database constraint rather than encoded with the data?

--dawn Received on Sat Jun 05 2004 - 10:32:34 CDT