Re: flag

David Turner wrote:
>
> Would you use a number or char for a flag in a table? Would you use a
> char since it's one byte and a number is 22 bytes?
>
> Dave

Dave,

   A number is *at most* 22 bytes

SQL> select vsize(0), vsize(1), vsize('Y'), vsize('N')   2 from dual;

  VSIZE(0) VSIZE(1) VSIZE('Y') VSIZE('N') ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------

         1 2 1 1

as you can see, the gain is tiny ... especially if NULL values are acceptable.
As a matter of taste, I'd prefer a char(1) but there is no strong rationale behind it, just that I find Y/N more understandable than 1/0. Still a human being :-).

-- 
Regards,

Stephane Faroult
Oriole Software
-- 
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Author: Stephane Faroult
  INET: sfaroult_at_oriole.com

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